Miss Lina's Ballerinas [Hardcover]

In four rows of two, Miss Lina's eight ballerinasChristina, Edwina, Sabrina, Justina, Katrina, Bettina, Marina, and Ninadance to the park, at the zoo, and even while doing their schoolwork. They are one perfect act, but when Miss Lina introduces Regina, a new girl, the group of nine's steps become a mess.

An infectiously rhyming text not a little reminiscent ofMadeline.&Author and illustrator have teamed up for a lovely story about friendship, ballet and grouping numbers. Davenier's colorful illustrations are filled with humor, movement and lovely shades of pink&young readers, budding ballerinas or not, will enjoy the details of the ballet studio and thejoie de vivreof the nine young ladies. Kirkus Reviews

The book is a charmer. Publishers Weekly

The children are full of movement and expression, and the setting has a Parisian feel. Reminiscent of Ludwig Bemelmans's Madeline, this will be a crowd pleaser with aspiring ballerinas and also makes a great introduction to a math lesson on number groupings. School Library Journal

French illustrator Davenier (one ofthe New York Times' Ten Best illustrators for 2002) keeps the little girls exuberantly dancing in class, through math lessons, in the park, at the zoo, and at the beach. Her ink, watercolor and colored pencil drawings are lively, detailed, and witty; readers may enjoy tracking the shades of pink from pale to potent in fashions for nightgowns, bathing suits, school dresses, and shopping outfits--as well as tutus. (They can also note that the new classmate wears hot pink leg warmers, as do all the others when they finally accept her.) Maccarone's agile rhyming text dances along, too, making good use of the nine musical names Christina, Edwina, Sabrina, Justina, Katrina, Bettina, Marina, Nina, and new friend, lƒ"