Review by Booklist Review
Kent bases this tale of a former ballerina sharing The Nutcracker with her grandchild on the memory of taking her own granddaughters to see the ballet. Grand Jeté is an elegant, white-haired woman who moves gracefully, modeling gestures and ballet movements for her daughter's daughter. The child is excited for her overnight stay, and her Grand Jeté helps her get ready for their outing by feeding her lunch, fixing her hair, and dressing her in the outfit bought especially for the occasion. The two have front-row seats, and the youngster is enthralled, and even tossing a rose bouquet to the Sugar Plum Fairy--the role Grand Jeté once danced--at the ballet's conclusion. Illustrations using micron pen, watercolor, and gouache stun with myriad details. Numerous engaging pictures will entice readers to take the time to pour over the drawings, which appear in a variety of sizes throughout the book. The illustrations depict motion well and the type placement creates additional movement in the charming story, which can serve as a brief introduction to the holiday ballet.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Kent, a principal ballerina of the New York City Ballet for three decades under George Balanchine, lends her experience to this simply told picture book following a child and her former prima ballerina grandmother, nicknamed Grand Jeté. After a lunch where the excited young narrator and Grand Jeté, who are white, "plié next to the stools before we sit down," they "put on their faces" in front of Grand Jeté's lighted vanity. Dressed in matching red coats, the pair hurries through the backstage door of the theater--which detail-oriented readers will recognize as that of Lincoln Center--where they meet the dancers before taking front-row seats and becoming engrossed in Balanchine's production, which features dancers of various skin tones. Glasser's kinetic, wispy artwork, rendered in pen, watercolor, and gouache, warmly pays homage to ballet form onstage and off, capturing the text's free-spirited, memory-centered vibe. Back matter includes an author's note and glossary of ballet terms. Ages 4--8. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--A little girl is off to see her grandmother, known affectionately as Grand Jeté. Grand Jeté is a former prima ballerina and brings theatricality and chic extravagance to everything she does with her granddaughter, from bowing to vendors in the street to practicing the perfect flower toss for the end of a performance. After getting dressed up in special holiday ensembles, the duo heads to the New York City Ballet to see the iconic George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. Following the rousing and nostalgic performance, Grand Jeté tells the little girl that she could one day follow in her own prima ballerina footsteps as they dance out of the theater. Readers unfamiliar with the plot of the Nutcracker gain a brief understanding of the story, but it may work better as a refresher than as a primer for new audiences. The little girl is uniformly thrilled by absolutely everything, which leaves the impression that her character is chiefly a vessel for the more developed Grand Jeté's remembrances of her own days as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Disappointingly, few people of color are present in the audience and on stage. Back matter includes a note from author Kent, sharing her own history with The Nutcracker and a touching tribute to George Balanchine, as well as a glossary of the ballet terms used in the text such as plié and chassé. VERDICT This is an easy additon to holiday collections, certain to appeal to Nutcracker fans and balletomanes.--Alyssa Annico, Youngstown State Univ., OH
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Review by Horn Book Review
When the little girl narrator visits her grandmother, a former prima ballerina whom she calls "Grand Jete," dance infuses their ordinary moments ("we arabesque our plates and lunge for the milk"). Preparing for and attending The Nutcracker together, of course, is an extra-special occasion. Kent's text goes through the ballet's story line in a useful introduction for first-time attendees and gives a sense throughout of the warm relationship between doting grandmother and admiring grandchild. Glasser's merry illustrations include lots of dancing across the page, as well as moments of rapt spectatorship against the more lavish scenes of the ballet itself. An author's note explains Kent's own experience dancing in Balanchine's Nutcracker, and a glossary defines ballet terms. Shoshana Flax November/December 2021 p.23(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A little girl's visit with her grandmother is filled with dancing from the moment the door opens at her New York City apartment. A former prima ballerina, Grand Jeté passes her love of ballet to her granddaughter as they arabesque to make lunch and plié before eating. Then they do their hair and makeup, topping it off with their special holiday outfits. Together they visit Grand Jeté's friends backstage at Lincoln Center. Finally, they take their seats and the curtain rises on The Nutcracker. Throughout the performance, Grand Jeté fondly remembers when she used to dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. When the curtain closes, the duo waltzes away, Grand Jeté telling the little girl that she too could be a ballerina one day. Written by a former prima ballerina, this seasonal book puts the emphasis on the grandmother. Although the little girl narrates the story, it is Grand Jeté who experiences the emotional arc. The brief text moves the story along, only occasionally stumbling during transitions. The detailed illustrations, featuring the New York City Ballet's Nutcracker costumes and sets, are joyous and bubbly. Although there is a handful of diverse characters in the background, nearly all humans present White, including the main characters. Families preparing to see The Nutcracker for the first time may appreciate the very brief summary of the ballet included within the story. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Perhaps best enjoyed by grandmothers. (glossary, author's note) (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
