Just Being Audrey

by Margaret Cardillo, Julia Denos (Illustrator)

Overview

A stunning tribute to one of America’s most beloved icons—Audrey Hepburn. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.

From Roman Holiday to Breakfast at Tiffany's, when Audrey Hepburn starred in a movie, she lit up the screen. Her unique sense of fashion, her grace, and, most important, her spirit made her beloved by generations. But her life offscreen was even more luminous. As a little girl growing up in Nazi-occupied Europe, she learned early on that true kindness is the greatest measure of a person—and it was a lesson she embodied as she became one of the first actresses to use her celebrity to shine a light on the impoverished children of the world through her work with UNICEF.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062184207
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	11/15/2011
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Lexile:	740L (what's this?)
File size:	8 MB
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Margaret Cardillo is a children’s book author, a screenwriter, and a professor. She’s the author of the award-winning picture book biographies Just Being Audrey and Just Being Jackie. A native of Naples, Florida, she holds degrees from Boston College and the University of Miami, where she now teaches screenwriting. She lives in Miami with her family, including Zampano, her rescue dog. She believes they are soul mates. (Her husband understands.) You can visit her online at www.margaretcardillo.com.

Julia Denos is the author-illustrator of Swatch: The Girl Who Loved Color and the illustrator of several children’s books, including Just Being Audrey by Margaret Cardillo, I Had a Favorite Dress by Boni Ashburn, Dotty by Erica S. Perl, Grandma’s Gloves by Cecil Castellucci, and Letters to Leo by Amy Hest. Julia currently lives in Boston. You can visit her online at www.juliadenos.com.

Editorial Reviews

Audrey Hepburn proves as irresistible a character in the pages of a children's book as she is in those soigné roles of the silver screen. Denos (Grandma's Gloves) is spot-on in her watercolor portraits of Hepburn at each stage of her life; even those readers who haven't seen Sabrina, Roman Holiday, or Charade (at least not yet) will understand instantly how Hepburn's ballerina bearing, gamine chic, and openhearted worldliness made her a one-of-a-kind star and fashion icon. Debut author Cardillo's literal, matter-of fact storytelling could have used a little more élan (especially given that her subject once spoke the urbane words of Peter Stone, Billy Wilder, and George Axelrod), but she gets her point across: "Audrey had become more than an actress; she was an inspiration. While most Hollywood starlets were curvy and wore glamorous outfits, Audrey would only be herself." And the story is packed with fascinating details about Hepburn's upbringing in WWII Europe and foray into acting. Any grownup who bemoans the way Katy Perry et al. dominate contemporary popular culture should buy this for their favorite girl—ASAP. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

Denos’ soft pastel illustrations cut just the right Audrey outline (complete with flapping neck scarf), and fans will especially enjoy picking out the movie roles depicted in a two-page spread of costumes.” — Booklist

“Audrey Hepburn proves as irresistible a character in the pages of a children’s book as she is in those soigné roles of the silver screen.” — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

Denos’ soft pastel illustrations cut just the right Audrey outline (complete with flapping neck scarf), and fans will especially enjoy picking out the movie roles depicted in a two-page spread of costumes.

Booklist

Denos’ soft pastel illustrations cut just the right Audrey outline (complete with flapping neck scarf), and fans will especially enjoy picking out the movie roles depicted in a two-page spread of costumes.

Booklist

K-Gr 3—In this delightful introduction to Audrey Hepburn, readers learn that as a child, she was gangly and imaginative, in a world of her own. When she announced that she wanted to be the prima ballerina of all of Europe, her mother told her that the world was bigger than she was, and to always be kind, a tenet that seems to have stuck with her for life. She was born into a family of some privilege (her mother was a baroness), but their small wealth was no match for the advancing Nazi troops in World War II. Along with her family and 40 others, she hid in a country house with no heat and little to eat. Through the ordeal, she kept dancing and taught the other children. As the war in Europe ended, a UN volunteer gave her a chocolate bar, an act of kindness that seemed to inspire her. After the young woman realized that she would be more suited to acting, her Cinderella career took her from London to Broadway to Hollywood, but the power in this book lies beyond her fame in the spotlight. Her generous humanitarian spirit is seen through her actions and deeds as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF as she used her celebrity as a vehicle to assist others. With a light, sweet narrative style, readers can almost picture Hepburn dancing as they turn the pages. Evocative of the period, Denos's almost impressionistic pen-and-ink and watercolor artwork is lively and colorful. This picture-book biography is a great addition to any collection.—Alison Donnelly, Collinsville Memorial Public Library, IL

School Library Journal