Review by Booklist Review
Similar in narrative structure to previous entries in the Ella Bella series, this begins with a ballet class, where a music box playing Swan Lake transports Ella Bella into the ballet just before the pivotal ballroom scene. Odette explains her story, and Ella Bella observes the happy-ever-after ending unfold before returning to reality. An appended note comments on the ballet's history, including variants of its conclusion. Bland but pleasant, the framework story functions mainly as a vehicle introducing the ballet, but the charming illustrations of real and imagined worlds will draw young balletomanes to this large-format book.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Under Madame Rosa's tutelage, Ella Bella and her classmates pretend to be baby swans as they dance to Tchaikovsky's ballet. Ella's imagination draws her into the story and she comes to the aid of Odette, the Swan Princess, under the spell of a wicked sorcerer. Mayhew's watercolor illustrations have elegant lines and are by turns romantic and dramatic as the child helps to reunite the princess and her beloved prince. The simple text is equally graceful. An endnote also provides background on the classic ballet. This addition to the charming series will appeal to fans of ballerinas and princesses.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this third book about the imaginative ballet student, a music box draws Ella into Swan Lake. She tags along as the Swan Princess watches her prince being tricked by the evil magician. In this version, all's well that ends well. The text can be plodding, but delicate pink-hued illustrations capture the story's fairy-tale quality. An author's note discusses Tchaikovsky's ballet. Copyright 2010 of The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Lovely little ballerina Ella Bella returns to the stage after charming audiences in performances ofCinderellaandThe Sleeping Beauty.Ella still attends class with Madame Rosa, whose music box is now playing Tchaikovsky's beautifulSwan Lake. She and her classmates, including one boy, listen to the story and pretend that they are baby swans as they move to the music. When class is over, Ella stays on stage and in her imagination becomes part of the drama as dancers perform the ballet. A prince has fallen in love with an enchanted Swan Princess named Odette, but he is tricked by an evil sorcerer into declaring his love for her look-alike, Odile. Ella Bella tries to warn him of the duplicity, but to no avail. However, in this version, all ends happily for the royalty. Ella Bella leaves the theater and dances home with her motherhopefully to return to the stage in another ballet. As inElla Bella Ballerina and Cinderella(2009) andElla Bella Ballerina and The Sleeping Beauty(2008),Mayhew's simple storytelling and delicate watercolors in blues, pinks and lilacs meld together to tell the tale of the much-beloved ballet and evoke its timeless mystery and ethereal qualities for young audiences.Curtain calls for Ella Bella and the whole troupe. (author's note)(Picture book. 3-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
