My 3 and 6 year old daughters enjoy the story for the talkabout dancing and for the "little sister looks up to big sister" and "little sister feeling left out" themes. The adults in the family get misty-eyed over a little girl's discovery of the beauty of dance (if you've ever shed a tear of joy when Linnea is finally atop the bridge in Monet's Garden, you'll know what I mean). This will be one to save for the next generation :-)

Beautiful water-color-ish illustrations appealed to all ages in our family.

This was a childhood favorite of mine, and the pages are tattered from reading it over and over. A young girl wants to be a dancer and is saddened because her older sister can take lessons, but she is too young. She looks up to her graceful old sister and dances with her, but wishes she herself could be in the spotlight...The book is a wonderful story for all ages, young and old.

A wonderful story that moves from sad to happy, dark to light. It touches you with laughter and deep feels for grandpa. The simple use of soup brings the human spirit back to life and a death. A wonderful children's book for children to learn about how "eating soup" with older people can mean so much.

As Grandpa mourns the loss of Grandma, he develops a desire for soup just like Grandma used to make. He works at remembering the recipe and discovers the reason she had so many pots for making soup. A great book to have on hand for children dealing with death or loss. I have watched my grandfather mourn this same loss and develop a desire for beets made just like Grandma used to make them.

Warm-hearted, colorful illustrations carry us along with Tanya and her new friend, the wardrobe lady at the performance of the ballet Coppelia. When Tanya gets lost backstage she is lucky enough to experience a "show and tell" about some of the costumes from other famous ballets. She dances with the wardrobe lady and the French ballet terms are sprinkled liberally throughout the story. This book would be well appreciated by a certain niche of readers but would probably not be of interest to non-dancers.

Tanya and the Magic Wardrobe is magic itself. Wardrobe's and Magic have been inextricably linked since C.S. Lewis (c.f. the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) and in this book the tradition continues.

The illustrations are as usual delightful and the prose is beautifully expressive of the magic that always seems to exist between the very old and the very young (the Old Dancer and Tanya), between those who share a love of something greater than themselves (dance), and the magic of dress-up (whether in the theater or the play room).

Our own ballerina asked for this story to be read three times the day we brought it home, and has asked for it again every day since. And I can't wait to read it to her again and again.

Satomi Ichikawa has a delightful way of capturing a child's openess and imagination. She offers this book with a very subtle detatchment which allows you to feel that you are participating in the story.

A castle said by local folk to be haunted is discovered to be full of friends--birds, owls, a bat, and some rabbits. The joie de vivre of the little girl Nora and her fellow adventurers (her doll, teddy bear and pet dog) is utterly engaging.

Best of all, in a very light handed manner the author makes the point that many "spooky" places and experiences are simply places we haven't yet been. If we approach the other with an open heart, we may find something very special.--Great wisdom for a children's book.

"Tanya and Emily in a Dance for Two" is a wonderful book that introduces children to the ballet, but also to the joys of making a new friend. Tanya is an unpolished, wiggly dancer, while Emily is a graceful, agile ballerina who seems to perform moves effortlessly. The one thing they share in common: both practice alone during ballet class instead of with the other girls. One day after practice, they walk the same way past the zoo. Immediately, Tanya imitates the "dance" of an ostrich and it is not long before they begin dancing the penguin, the giraffe, the leopard and other animals. They start practicing together, with Emily helping Tanya with her moves. Their teacher notices how close they have become and puts them together for a "pas de deux" in the winter recital. Patrica Lee Gauch's text is charming and Satomi Ichikawa simply yet beautifully captures the mood of the story as well as the different ballet steps and "dances". A highly recommended book for young girls.

This book is beautiful. It uses wonderful dance terminology and teaches good life lessons...for example: like yourself so others can like you too. As a treasury, it leaves me wanting, because there are only 3 of the Tanya books included. (And they aren't the best Tanya books.) But it is still lovely and bound beautifully. The young dancer in your life will enjoy reading them with you.

I looked at this book at the book store and found the pictures very repititious and lacking in charm. The little fir tree did not seem to have that touch of realism that would have made the story believable. I'm a big fan of Satomi Ichikawa and feel that her wonderful talent could be better used on another Nora or Tanya book. I didn't even purchase this book. I'll save my money for the soon to be published "Tanya and the Red Shoes".

With softly lit watercolors and kind words Satomi Ichikawa tells the touching story of the littlest and youngest fir tree in the forest.

Christmas is nearing and there is excitement in the air. Although, of course, the little tree doesn't know what the anticipation is all about. She overhears the other trees talking about what they want to wear to the Christmas party. Each wants the perfect costume. Most amazing of all, the biggest tree wants "to dress in a thousand twinkling stars and stand in the middle of the grandest avenue in all the world."

Imagine the small tree's fright when one day she hears terrible loud noises, and then looks around to see all the other trees gone. She only sees a truck driving away with all the trees.

She thinks she is left alone, but she is not. An old tree is also still in the forest. What these trees wear for their Christmas party and how they celebrate is a happy surprise.

Children will feel the holiday spirit in this tender story.

Satomi Ichikawa's illustrations are what I like best about "Presenting Tanya the Ugly Duckling." She uses strong but muted colors and realistic people, with very little extraneous detail in the pictures. The drawings really capture Tanya's metamorphosis from the shy, insecure girl who is puzzled to have been chosen to dance the lead role in "The Ugly Duckling" to the joyous, confident dancer she becomes during the dress rehearsal. In the beginning of the book, Tanya is drawn in awkward, frightened poses, but she is able to open up and dance freely by the end of the book. I think the illustrator just does a very nice job of visually presenting the central character.

How many times do we ask a child to read a book and to put himself or herself into the main character's shoes? This book allows the young reader to really step into Tanya's toe-shoes, the way I rememeber feeling like I was in Ellen Tebbitts's dance class when I was in the fifth grade. (Remember that book? It was great! It's a chapter-book and I'd recommend it for kids who read on a grade-level higher than those who would find "Presenting Tanya. . ." appropriate.)

As for the written narrative, "Presenting Tanya the Ugly Duckling" is a nice change of pace for a fairy tale. Like me, you probably remember the standard tale as always being told from the point of view of the duckling. In this book, a little girl is the duckling, and it makes it even easier for a young reader to identify with the feelings of the protagonist. All readers will be intrigued by Gauch's use of the French terms for the ballet steps danced by Tanya and her fellow dancers, just as my generation was intrigued by the ballet positions described and illustrated in "Ellen Tebbitts." Any young dancer would enjoy this modern rendition of "The Ugly Duckling."