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9th out of 78 books
—
131 voters
Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring
Martha Graham : trailblazing choreographer
Aaron Copland : distinguished American composer
Isamu Noguchi : artist, sculptor, craftsman
Award-winning authors Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan tell the story behind the scenes of the collaboration that created APPALACHIAN SPRING, from its inception through the score’s composition to Martha’s intense rehearsalprocess. The authors’...more
Aaron Copland : distinguished American composer
Isamu Noguchi : artist, sculptor, craftsman
Award-winning authors Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan tell the story behind the scenes of the collaboration that created APPALACHIAN SPRING, from its inception through the score’s composition to Martha’s intense rehearsalprocess. The authors’...more
Hardcover, 48 pages
Published
August 3rd 2010
by Flash Point
(first published 2010)
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This illustrated non-fiction book tells the story of the creation of Appalachian Spring, one of the most well-known American modern dance ballets, which was a collaboration between dancer/choreographer Martha Graham, composer Aaron Copland, and artist/scenic designer Isamu Noguchi. The book follows the ballet from a story developed by Graham through the rehearsal process to the opening night performance on October 30, 1944. “But the life of Appalachian Spring goes on after the great night / to b...more
There are many books that involve learning skills like cooking and writing and building. Ballet for Martha puts perfect and understandable words to the art of creativity and collaboration. The hard work, frustration, trials, errors and friendship involved in taking the inspiration/idea and making it a polished finished product. The book also gives a brief summary of each artist's life story in the back, which many children would find interesting and inspirational.
This book would appeal to girl...more
This book would appeal to girl...more
Vivid watercolors dance across the pages of Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring as the words capture the imagination, taking you back to the now famous dance, first performed in 1944. Winner of the Robert F. Sibert Honor, the story follows the thoughts and dreams of Martha Graham, famed ballerina, as she begins the process of creating a story through movement. Through interviews with the artistic directors of the Martha Graham Dance Company, members of the company, musical directors, co...more
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Martha's Ballet is a beautiful story about the creation of a ballet titled "Appalachian Spring". The dance was made to represent coming to America. The story explains the countless process it takes to make a ballet, especially one as ordinary as this.
The information in the book is very accurate, in fact their are lists of sources and elaborated information at the conclusion of the book. The text is very well crafted. I really liked the line "even when dancing is hard, they must make it look easy...more
The information in the book is very accurate, in fact their are lists of sources and elaborated information at the conclusion of the book. The text is very well crafted. I really liked the line "even when dancing is hard, they must make it look easy...more
Ballet for Martha describes the creation of the ballet “Appalachian Spring.” It explains how Martha Graham and others worked together to create the dance as well as what the ballet means. Overall, it is an account of the collaboration that led to “Appalachian Spring.”
The information in the book is accurate, and there are many sources cited at the end of the story, showing the reader exactly where the information came from. The information is organized and the story is easy to follow. The illus...more
The information in the book is accurate, and there are many sources cited at the end of the story, showing the reader exactly where the information came from. The information is organized and the story is easy to follow. The illus...more
This picture book tells the story of the collaboration between choreographer and dancer Martha Graham, composer Aaron Copeland, and designer Isamu Noguchi in the creation of the dance masterpiece Appalachian Spring. It is a lovely topic with illustrations that really evoke the spare simplicity of Martha’s dancing and Noguchi’s set design. The focus on collaboration and the American story are wonderful topics woven into the story of dance.
However, the book’s topic, complex concepts, challenging...more
However, the book’s topic, complex concepts, challenging...more
Dec 09, 2011
Sara Hannon
added it
1. Informational
2. This book tells the story of how conductor Aaron Copland, dancer Martha Graham, and artist Isamu Nogucho collaborated to create one of the most enduring and beautiful ballets ever preformed.
3. This book does a very nice job of showing the process behind the creation of Appalachian Spring. The best aspect of the book is that it explains how this collaboration worked. For example they talk about how "Aaron's music suggests the movement, fires the dancers' imaginations, dares th...more
2. This book tells the story of how conductor Aaron Copland, dancer Martha Graham, and artist Isamu Nogucho collaborated to create one of the most enduring and beautiful ballets ever preformed.
3. This book does a very nice job of showing the process behind the creation of Appalachian Spring. The best aspect of the book is that it explains how this collaboration worked. For example they talk about how "Aaron's music suggests the movement, fires the dancers' imaginations, dares th...more
Authors Jan Greenberg & Sandra Jordan tell the story behind the scenes of the collaboration that created APPALACHIAN SPRING, from its inception through the score’s composition to Martha Graham’s intense rehearsal process. Brian Floca's vivid watercolors bring both the process & the performance to life. (Goodreads summary)
Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring by Jan Greenberg & Sandra Jordan, illustrated by Brian Floca focuses on the collaboration between dance choreographer Ma...more
Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring by Jan Greenberg & Sandra Jordan, illustrated by Brian Floca focuses on the collaboration between dance choreographer Ma...more
Collaboration. True life stories of collaboration told in a picture book format. It’s a challenge that I give myself: Name such stories off the top of your head. If you’re a children’s librarian then surely you can think of one or two, yes? So I start to think about it. Let’s see . . . well, there was Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride, but that was more a story about two strangers meeting nicely than a tale of collaboration (the same could be said for When Harriet Met Sojourner). It shouldn’t be...more
1. Informational
2. Choreographer/ dancer Martha Graham, American composer Aaron Copeland, and artist Isamu Noguchi work together to create the American classic ballet, Appalachian Spring.
3. A. Organization/ writing style
B. The book starts off lacking titles, but it ends with titles of what is being described; moreover, no table of contents is provided. The first page is an introduction (though not labeled) and on the next page we are introduced to the three main people that comprise the book. Th...more
2. Choreographer/ dancer Martha Graham, American composer Aaron Copeland, and artist Isamu Noguchi work together to create the American classic ballet, Appalachian Spring.
3. A. Organization/ writing style
B. The book starts off lacking titles, but it ends with titles of what is being described; moreover, no table of contents is provided. The first page is an introduction (though not labeled) and on the next page we are introduced to the three main people that comprise the book. Th...more
This beautiful book tells the story of how Aaron Copland's iconic piece, "Appalachian Spring," was created. It descrbies the collaborative efforts of composer Aaron Copland, chereographer Martha Graham and set designer Isamu Noguchi to create a modern ballet that tells the legend of American living--a pioneer traveling westward toward the frontier to start a new life. Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring describes the artistic process that each creator went through as well as how the t...more
I thought this was a beautiful story that I had no idea of before reading the book. I think that the illustrations in soft but still vibrant tones convey a sense of the fabulous music that accompanies the ballet. The pictures are clearly based on actual photographs of the people, costumes, and sets, recommending the authenticity of the book. The lines that outline the characters are especially gentle with so much movement to them that is highlighted by the imperfect borders between the different...more
Anytime I find a terrific nonfiction picture book, I get excited. This one made me jump up and down. (Unfortunately I never had dance lessons!) Authors Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan had already made me green with envy by writing Action Jackson. With this book, they did it again. Somehow they managed to take all the complex personalities and talents that defined Martha Graham, Aaron Copland, and Isamu Noguchi - and communicated the essence of the artists in brief, direct sentences that explain...more
I LOVED this book! L!O!V!E! LOOOOOVE! So incredibly cool. As you may know from some of my previous reviews, I like reading books without too many words. Ballet for Martha is fantabulous because it's a creative non-fiction picture book. I love this genre! More please on my bookshelf, NOW. Super snaps up to illustrator Brian Floca for how he rendered the dancers' bodies. Maybe it's my television-addled brain but I could totally see the dancers' next moves. I learned new things too. I'd never, ever...more
Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring, is the winner of the Orbis Pictus Award. It deserved this award due to; the authors accuracy in retelling the story of the collaboration between Martha Graham, Aaron Copland, and Isamu Noguchi, and the way that Brian Floca, the illustrator, uses watercolors to enhance the meaning of the text and show the unique and interesting product of this collaboration. The pictures are able to stand on their own and demonstrate the passion of Martha Graham. This...more
This was a great story and I would definitely use it in my classroom. It can be used to teach students how to take steps in order to create a good story as well as teach the students that hard work and dedication pays off in the end. The story describes how to step by step create a ballet, in Martha's words. As I was reading the book, I felt as though music was playing through my head. This is a beautiful story and has so much information about dance, motivation, and hard work. The illustrations...more
This moving book depicts the journey to create the ballet Appalachian Spring through words and pictures. The words inform the reader about the struggles faced by Martha Graham (the choreographer), Aaron Copeland (the composer) and Isamu Noguchi (the set designer) as they work together to create this uniquely American dance program. The illustrations perfectly accompany the text, as they depict the dancers, composer and designer all at work separately and together. The illustrations are simple, b...more
The authors' plain, simple text are written in much description that seem to go well with Floca's illustrations. Neither seem to overwhelm or outshine the other. Both text and picture give the reader a sense of what the ballet might actually feel like to watch. While I was reading the story, I felt as if I was actually part of the audience, and by the end, I could have sworn I even heard music.
Floca does an excellent job in using watercolors in his illustrations. Interestingly, he also uses his...more
Floca does an excellent job in using watercolors in his illustrations. Interestingly, he also uses his...more
From the Siebert list, I read the 2011 honor book entitled Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring. Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan tell the story of choreographer and dancer Martha Graham’s journey to create the ballet Appalachian Spring with composer Aaron Copland and artist Isamu Noguchi. I read the book after reading this week’s articles. As I read, I wondered if the quotes throughout the book were historically accurate or placed within the text to make the story flow. It was refreshing...more
Audience: Anyone who is a dancer or enjoys dance would love this story. I feel that 2nd grade and up is appropriate. Unfortunately, I feel that mostly girls will get into this book, unless boys are encouraged to try new books.
Appeal:The whole process of what goes into writing a or directing a ballet is shown within this book. From start to finish the reader will be thrusted into a world of music, acting and dancing. The photos are not only beautiful and well detailed, but they are descriptive as...more
Appeal:The whole process of what goes into writing a or directing a ballet is shown within this book. From start to finish the reader will be thrusted into a world of music, acting and dancing. The photos are not only beautiful and well detailed, but they are descriptive as...more
The collaboration between Martha Graham, Aaron Copeland, and Isamu Noguchi that produced the extraordinary ballet, Appalachian Spring is honored in this remarkable picture-book collaboration between Greenberg, Jordan and Floca. In short lines and short paragraphs, set on and among Floca’s ink-and-watercolor illustrations, the authors introduce Martha’s unusual dance style, Aaron writing music, and Isamu making miniature sets before portraying the first production at the Library of Congress in 19...more
Greenberg, Jan, Sandra Jordan, Jennifer Browne, and Brian Floca. Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring. New York: RB/Flash Point, 2010. Print. 48 p.
2011 Orbis Pictus Award
The story of the creation of the ballet Appalachian Spring is presented in this elegantly illustrated book. Choreographer Isamu Noguchi, composer Aaron Copland, and dancer Martha Graham all contributed to the creation of this performance. The authors and illustrator create a behind the scenes look at the creation of a cl...more
2011 Orbis Pictus Award
The story of the creation of the ballet Appalachian Spring is presented in this elegantly illustrated book. Choreographer Isamu Noguchi, composer Aaron Copland, and dancer Martha Graham all contributed to the creation of this performance. The authors and illustrator create a behind the scenes look at the creation of a cl...more
This book is about the making of the American Classic play, Appalachian Spring. The main dancer, Martha, is the main character. This book talks about her contributions as well as Aaron Copeland's and Isamu Noguchi's. The book is an informational book so it can seem quite dull if your are not into dance or theater because it is about the process to putting together the play and making it a hit year after year.
I personally am not big into theater; therefore, I had trouble getting into the story an...more
I personally am not big into theater; therefore, I had trouble getting into the story an...more
Jan 30, 2011
Lisa Vegan
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
dancers & dance appreciators; art & music appreciators; for showing collaborative work
I enjoyed this book so much more than I’d expected.
For one thing, the illustrations are glorious! Almost every picture is like a painting I was pleased to view. The way dance and movement are shown was lovely, as are the settings and all the people.
The book has one of the best end notes I’ve ever read, appropriately titled Curtain Call. Mini but very informative biographies are given of Martha Graham, Aaron Copland, and Isamu Noguchi; these were the three people who collaborated on the ballet Ap...more
For one thing, the illustrations are glorious! Almost every picture is like a painting I was pleased to view. The way dance and movement are shown was lovely, as are the settings and all the people.
The book has one of the best end notes I’ve ever read, appropriately titled Curtain Call. Mini but very informative biographies are given of Martha Graham, Aaron Copland, and Isamu Noguchi; these were the three people who collaborated on the ballet Ap...more
Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring explains how the ballet, Appalachian Spring, was created. Many artists came together to combine their talents and produce this unique performance. Martha Graham, a dancer, Aaron Copland, a musician, and Isamu Noguchi, an artist were the key figures in the process. Appalachian Spring was performed for the first time in 1944 and has since become an American favorite.
This informative book not only teaches how great works of art come about, it also leads...more
This informative book not only teaches how great works of art come about, it also leads...more
Ballet for Martha tells the true story of how individual artist (Choreographer, Composer, and Set builder) come together to create a performance unlike any before. The four of them collaborated different media to form a compilation piece. Martha Graham was the choreographer of the ballet and she had a different style of dancing than most had seen before. Aaron Copland was the composer who wrote the music to play along with the piece. Isamu Noguchi was the set builder who built what Martha descri...more
I worked very hard to make sure that I kept the music from "Swan Lake" in my head while reading this, because I've hated "Appalachian Spring" since the two years in high school when at least five different marching bands - including ours - played it, and it was such a letdown after our amazing show of the year before, with such relatively boring music... But I did really enjoy reading the story of how it was written. I hadn't known the story, and the fact that it was a collaboration between Mart...more
"Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring" will appeal to girls who like ballet and dance. It would also be an excellent resource in a music classroom that is studying Aaron Copeland's "Appalachian Spring" music. This book explains how one of the most famous American musical compositions of the 1940s was created, through Martha Graham's vision. The illustrations capture the struggles Graham and Copeland had in finding the right story and music to create a new kind of ballet. It also demonstr...more
This book details the collaboration between choreographer Martha Graham, composer Aaron Copland and artist Isamu Noguchi to create Appalachian Spring, a classic ballet. Great choice for lower elementary. Illustrations are bold and appealing. The text flows simultaneously poetic yet succinct. The creators' own thoughts are shared throughout the story. I especially enjoyed the stage art piece (rarely addressed in children's books, it will undoubtedly fascinate and inspire readers) and the ballet's...more
I've never seen Appalachian Spring. I'm not hugely into dance (unless you count So You Think You Can Dance). I do like Aaron Copland, but I haven't really listened to his music since I was in orchestra in high school. So it's safe to say that I wasn't really interested in the subject of this book. And reading it didn't immediately make me want to find out more. I think if I had seen Appalachian Spring, I might have liked the book more, and I can see it appealing to fans of the ballet or Martha G...more
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