Bunheads

by Misty Copeland, Setor Fiadzigbey (Illustrator)

Overview

Instant New York Times bestselling series opener inspired by prima ballerina and author Misty Copeland's own early experiences in ballet.

From prima ballerina and New York Times bestselling author Misty Copeland comes the story of a young Misty, who discovers her love of dance through the ballet Coppélia—a story about a toymaker who devises a villainous plan to bring a doll to life.

Misty is so captivated by the tale and its heroine, Swanilda, she decides to audition for the role. But she's never danced ballet before; in fact, this is the very first day of her very first dance class!

Though Misty is excited, she's also nervous. But as she learns from her fellow bunheads, she makes wonderful friends who encourage her to do her very best. Misty's nerves quickly fall away, and with a little teamwork, the bunheads put on a show to remember.

Featuring the stunning artwork of newcomer Setor Fiadzigbey, Bunheads is an inspiring tale for anyone looking for the courage to try something new.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399547645
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/29/2020
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	49,552
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD950L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Misty Copeland is a Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre, and in 2015 she was the first Black woman to be promoted to the position in the company's 75-year history. She is the New York Times bestselling author of several books, including Life In Motion, Ballerina Body, Black Ballerinas, The Wind At My Back, and the picture books Bunheads and Firebird.

Setor Fiadzigbey was born and raised in Accra, Ghana. Since his childhood he has loved drawing and is grateful to be doing it professionally as a freelance artist now that he is all grown up. He loves stories—hearing, watching, reading, and creating them. He currently lives in Ghana with his lovely wife and daughter.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Bunheads:

Instant Indie Bestseller!

★ “Few picture books feature skilled youth dancers and even fewer star a girl of color, but this beautifully does both while simultaneously conveying the joy dancing can bring.” —Booklist, starred review

★ “Celebrates the joy of dance with a biographical glimpse of the young Misty in her first ballet class, auditions, and preparation for a performance of Coppélia. A muted color palette in digitally painted art highlights the technique and diversity of the dancers . . . [as] the author follows her young self through the audition process for dance roles, her questioning thoughts about her own talent, working with other dancers, and the sheer thrill of performance. . . This title is the perfect biographical addition for young readers interested in dance and the arts.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“The magical tale of a gutsy young ballerina, drawn from the barrier-breaking dancer’s own life.” —People

“The sense of movement, perspective, and depth [illustrator Setor Fiadzigbey] brings to Bunheads is like nothing I've ever seen. . . And you don't have to be a dance fanatic to enjoy it; while the vast majority of the action takes place in the studio or onstage, any child who has ever had a dream or felt passionate about something will find themselves in the book's pages. And frankly, even if a kid has never heard of a plié or seen the inside of a ballet class, the sheer joy on every illustration of Misty's face will probably have them pas de bourrée-ing around the house to see what all the fuss is about.” —NPR.com

“A gorgeous, inclusive tale . . [that] will inspire the next generation of dancers.” —Shondaland.com

“Bunheads features two young female dancers and friends . . . [and] while films and television sensationalize the ballet world as cutthroat with trash-talking ballerinas, Copeland depicts a much different environment where the characters champion one another.” —Parade

“In Bunheads, ballerina Misty Copeland tells the story of how she fell in love with dance.” —TIME for Kids

From the Publisher

★ 09/01/2020

K-Gr 3—"This is for those who love to dance." The first African American female principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre (ABT) celebrates the joy of dance with a biographical glimpse of the young Misty in her first ballet class, auditions, and preparation for a performance of Coppélia. A muted color palette in digitally painted art highlights the technique and diversity of the dancers as illustrations emphasize dark foreground silhouettes and shadows from a variety of perspectives, in contrast with the pastels of background walls and the brighter faces and expressions of individuals. The tale of Coppélia is featured in a different color palette with a series of larger images and small cells—all followed by views of the students' ballet barre practice and performance, detailing technique with dance terms. The author follows her young self through the audition process for dance roles, her questioning thoughts about her own talent, working with other dancers, and the sheer thrill of performance. VERDICT A suggested first purchase for most libraries, this title is the perfect biographical addition for young readers interested in dance and the arts—a lovely introduction to classical dance for the young dancer through Copeland's dedicated practice, teamwork, and performance.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano I.S.D., TX

School Library Journal

2020-06-16
A young ballerina takes on her first starring role.

Young Misty has just begun taking ballet when her teacher announces auditions for the classic ballet Coppélia. Misty listens spellbound as Miss Bradley tells the story of the toymaker who creates a doll so lifelike it threatens to steal a boy’s heart away from his betrothed, Swanilda. Paired with a kind classmate, Misty works hard to perfect the steps and wins the part she’s wanted all along: Swanilda. As the book closes, Misty and her fellow dancers take their triumphant opening-night bows. Written in third person, the narrative follows a linear structure, but the storyline lacks conflict and therefore urgency. It functions more as an introduction to Coppélia than anything else, despite the oddly chosen title. Even those unfamiliar with Copeland’s legendary status as the first black principal ballerina for the American Ballet Theatre will predict the trite ending. The illustrations are an attractive combination of warm brown, yellow, and rosy mahogany. However, this combination also obscures variations in skin tone, especially among Misty’s classmates. Misty and her mother are depicted with brown hair and brown skin; Miss Bradley has red hair and pale skin. Additionally, there’s a disappointing lack of body-type diversity; the dancers are depicted as uniformly skinny with extremely long limbs. The precise linework captures movement, yet the humanity of dance is missing. Many ballet steps are illustrated clearly, but some might confuse readers unfamiliar with ballet terminology. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.5-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 48% of actual size.)

A predictable ballet tale for die-hard Copeland fans or as an introduction to Coppélia. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews