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8th out of 20 books
—
21 voters
Just Being Audrey
by
Margaret Cardillo,
Julia Denos (Goodreads Author)
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 measu...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
January 25th 2011
by Balzer + Bray
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Read this quite quickly and although this really shouldn't count towards my book goal for its shortness, I just couldn't help myself ;)
The illustrations in this are absolutely stunning and although the biography in this book isn't too detailed, it still emulates the life of audrey quite well. An excellent little book for young people to learn and appreciate one of the most amazing human beings that ever lived. Not to mention this book is fabulous just to have for any Audrey fan, like me :)
The illustrations in this are absolutely stunning and although the biography in this book isn't too detailed, it still emulates the life of audrey quite well. An excellent little book for young people to learn and appreciate one of the most amazing human beings that ever lived. Not to mention this book is fabulous just to have for any Audrey fan, like me :)
Loved it, but wish it had more information.
1 like · like · see review
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Everyone knows who Audrey Hepburn is, but I don't think many people know her background and what she went through as a child. This biography explains the troubles and hardships she went through in her early childhood and it was interesting to see that she didn't want to originally follow in the path that she is most known for.
Many people wouldn't know that Audrey's first passion was dance and her big dream when she was younger was to become the prima ballerina of all of Europe. However, her moth...more
Many people wouldn't know that Audrey's first passion was dance and her big dream when she was younger was to become the prima ballerina of all of Europe. However, her moth...more
Just Being Audrey is a very good and inspirational book. It proves to be one of those relatively rare cases where the author and illustrator are completely in synch regarding the theme and tone of the book. Author Margaret Cardillo writes like she has always known Audrey Hepburn by heart and after extensive research by the author and illustrator, Julia Denos, the two artists bring her best qualities to life for a new generation of readers. To be kind above all, a message Hepburn's mother, a baro...more
Amazing book! The pictures of this book are simply beautiful and keep the interest of readers. I think that this book is great because it accurately tells the story of Audrey Hepburn and it is an inspirational book. It talks about how Audrey wanted to be a ballerina, but got too tall so instead she decided to be an actress. I think that this is important because young girls (and boys too!) need to set their dreams and goals high in order to get somewhere in life. But what is most important to th...more
Sometimes reading biographies can tend to be boring; from my experience, students do not read biographies or autobiographies because they do not enjoy the way these are written. However, after reading Just Being Audrey, I discovered that books like this one should be used to introduce students to reading biographies. The book is well written, it gives the reader an accurate account of Audrey Hepburn’s life, and the illustrations are beautiful. Even if you weren’t a fan of Audrey Hepburn before,...more
Loved, loved this delightful picture book. The illustrations are fantastic.
1 of 5 people to win an Oscar, Golden Globe, Tony, Grammy, and Emmy!
Audrey always wanted to be the best ballerina in Europe until she got too tall and then dreamed of being an actress. Her Mom always reminded her to always be kind.
When WWII broke out at the age of 10, her family fled to Holland where they lived in a small house in the country with 40 people. After WWII Audrey and her Mom moved to London.
In 1951 a role i...more
1 of 5 people to win an Oscar, Golden Globe, Tony, Grammy, and Emmy!
Audrey always wanted to be the best ballerina in Europe until she got too tall and then dreamed of being an actress. Her Mom always reminded her to always be kind.
When WWII broke out at the age of 10, her family fled to Holland where they lived in a small house in the country with 40 people. After WWII Audrey and her Mom moved to London.
In 1951 a role i...more
This charmingly illustrated biography for children is a beautiful tribute to Audrey Hepburn. It being with her childhood, dancing fairy-tale ballets in her family's garden, dreaming of being the best ballerina in all of Europe, through the rough years of WWII when she and forty other souls hid in a small house in the country where there was no heat and little food and no one could clap at the end of the little dance performances Audrey gave because they were afraid the noise would give them away...more
5 likes · like · see review
As a young girl Audrey Hepburn dreamed of becoming a ballerina and loved to dance whatever chance she got. Her family was forced to flee Europe during WWII and head to Holland with her family. Times were hard for her family, but she never let it get her down. When she became older she became very tall and decided to focus her attention on becoming an actress. Audrey tall and eloquent stature caught the attention of some important people in the acting world. She found herself on the stage in New...more
This biography chronicles the life of Audrey Hepburn in a way that children can easily read and understand. Audrey was a child in Europe when WWII broke out and just like many other families, Audrey and her family had to go into hiding. At an early age Audrey wanted to be a dancer but was teased by the other girls “She was too tall, her feet were too big, and her neck was too long,”. Audrey went on to try acting and as we all know, the rest is history!
I love, love, love this book! I thought the...more
I love, love, love this book! I thought the...more
Just Being Audrey by by Margaret Cardillo, illustrated by Julia Denos
As the title suggests, this picture book is about Audrey Hepburn--her early life, her aspirations to become a ballerina, her success in Hollywood and her later-life work with UNICEF.
I love Audrey, who doesn't? Cardillo's text was an interesting insight into the background of an actress who many still remember as the epitome of style and elegance. The text offered an interesting but slightly unbalanced look at Audrey's life from...more
As the title suggests, this picture book is about Audrey Hepburn--her early life, her aspirations to become a ballerina, her success in Hollywood and her later-life work with UNICEF.
I love Audrey, who doesn't? Cardillo's text was an interesting insight into the background of an actress who many still remember as the epitome of style and elegance. The text offered an interesting but slightly unbalanced look at Audrey's life from...more
Sep 06, 2011
Lisa Vegan
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everybody, especially girls & women and Audrey Hepburn fans
Recommended to Lisa by:
Kathryn
Just read it!
The author and illustrator make their feelings clear in their notes. They admire Audrey, and that comes across beautifully in the story and in the illustrations.
I have always admired Audrey Hepburn: her acting and dancing, and particularly her work for UNICEF. But, I learned so much about her early life, including her time during WWII (including a UN tie-in), some about her struggles, her hard work, her motherhood, how she treated the crews when she starred in movies, and most imp...more
The author and illustrator make their feelings clear in their notes. They admire Audrey, and that comes across beautifully in the story and in the illustrations.
I have always admired Audrey Hepburn: her acting and dancing, and particularly her work for UNICEF. But, I learned so much about her early life, including her time during WWII (including a UN tie-in), some about her struggles, her hard work, her motherhood, how she treated the crews when she starred in movies, and most imp...more
8 likes · like · see review
The book, Just being Audrey, my Margaret Cardillo is a remarkable book about Audrey Hepburn life. She was a woman of intelligence who lived most of her live in Europe. She is reputed to have had excellent manners and the gift of friendship. She was very hard working and had an excellent work ethic. She knew how to hire people to promote her career. She cared about her reputation and took care to preserve it in a film culture. Her mother was a force in her life and appears to have been a remarkab...more
Love Audrey Hepburn and loved learning about her... and LOVE her movie Wait Until Dark. She seemed to have such a natural grace. There are a lot of interesting observations that can be made based on her story...
Don't pay attention to people who don't appreciate you because you are "different"!
There are more important things than fame... like kindness.
If you have a dream that isn't going to work out, something else wonderful might be the thing for you.
Working hard and being yourself may result in...more
Don't pay attention to people who don't appreciate you because you are "different"!
There are more important things than fame... like kindness.
If you have a dream that isn't going to work out, something else wonderful might be the thing for you.
Working hard and being yourself may result in...more
I absolutely loved this book! Many people do not know much about the background of Audrey Hepburn, and this book brings it to life. The message is a great one, portraying Audrey as a wonderful girl with simple, but essential values. The illustrations in this book are beautiful. Although it could be more detailed, it does still manage to appeal to the intended audience (young readers, perhaps primary grades) and it sends a valuable message to young children to pursue their dreams and be open to w...more
2 likes · like · see review
Full disclosure - I am an avowed Audrey Hepburn fan. Girls who like dance and acting and fashion will absolutely adore this very short, sweet bio about Hepburn. It reveals all of her high points,along with her childhood experiences during WWII. Full blown optimism,joy of life, and being who you are no matter what the worlds says are the abiding themes, which clearly reveal Hepburn's character. The illustrations are stunning. And I hope this will lead young ladies to access her body of film work...more
This exquisite picture book is a biography of the iconic and compassionate Audrey Hepburn. The story begins with her childhood in Europe, and follows her from her rise to fame in motion pictures and the world of fashion, to her work as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. The book is a loving tribute to a legendary woman.
This book is a wonderful introduction to Hepburn’s life and movies. The illustrations capture the spirit and style of Audrey, but instead of going for photorealism there’s a loose,...more
This book is a wonderful introduction to Hepburn’s life and movies. The illustrations capture the spirit and style of Audrey, but instead of going for photorealism there’s a loose,...more
Delightful! Audrey Hepburn is described as having "joie de vivre," and this book captures it perfectly. Illustrations are by Julia Denos, who also did Dotty. I didn't know that Audrey lived in hiding for several childhood years during WWII, nor that she was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her later work with UNICEF. Includes an Author's Note, Illustrator's Note, Timeline, and Bibliography.
"And the very things that made her appear awkward as a child? They were precisely the things tha...more
"And the very things that made her appear awkward as a child? They were precisely the things tha...more
This biography of Audrey Hepburn struck me as an odd choice for the Texas Bluebonnet list but most kiddos have really enjoyed hearing it. I never realize Audrey Hepburn was not American before reading this book. Actually I did not know much about her at all except for her movie career. The illustrations are water colors and perhaps some actual photographs could have been included. Author's note provided insight into the author and illustrator's purpose. Timeline of important dates in Audrey's li...more
I must admit I chose this book to read to my daughter whether she wanted to hear it or not. Fortunately, she is just as much a fanatic about books as I am and had no problem sitting down to a book with lots of print on each page. Yes, this is one of those tricky children's books--the kind with great pictures (the illustrations were awesome!) but a story on every page. I'm so glad this story is about someting I personally enjoy. Audrey Hepburn has always been one of my favorite actresses. And I'v...more
The genre of this book is nonfiction. The age level for this book is 4-8. This book is about Audrey Hepburn growing up being herself. I rated this book 5 stars becuase I love Audrey Hepburn and this is a great childrens book who want to learn about her with bright and colorful pictures. The plot of this book is Audrey Hepburn being the great actress that she is and growing up in a Nazi area in Europe and how she became the person she was an actress, icon and inspiration. The theme of this book i...more
This was a lovely and short biography of Audrey Hepburn’s life. The drawings are all amazing! It’s a very nice book to read to children!
The story shows parts of her life that not many know, especially if you have never read biographies about her. The book also mentions her life outside the screen. Despite being rich and famous, Audrey never forgot the poor and helpless and I think this is important to remember about her.
There are many illustrations and they are all wonderful! The text is easy t...more
The story shows parts of her life that not many know, especially if you have never read biographies about her. The book also mentions her life outside the screen. Despite being rich and famous, Audrey never forgot the poor and helpless and I think this is important to remember about her.
There are many illustrations and they are all wonderful! The text is easy t...more
Just Being Audrey was an enjoyable read with wonderful illustrations. The story gives a glimpse at the person Audrey Hepburn was and has a wonderful message of being yourself and being kind. This may be a book teachers love a little more than students, but there are definitely lessons that can be taught with this book on character and overcoming obstacles. This book is a good way to introduce Hepburn to yet another generation of admirers. May favorite quote from the book is, "Like with flowers,"...more
While I think this is a great informative book about the life of Audrey Hepburn, I think many kids will have a hard time connecting to it. As I read about it, I thought about the recent Justice magazine and thought about how I might be able to tie this book to current girls fashion. Then in the end, the author does it for us. I really liked that. I think this was an enjoyable read even though I am a little young to know who she is. I know that my elementary students will have an even harder time...more
I just finished Just Being Audrey by Margaret Cardillo. The book is a biography about Audrey Hepburn's life. Although at first I thought it would be some boring biography it ended up being very good. One of the things that made it so good was that even though it was a non fiction story it seemed like a fairy tale because in the end almost everything came out right. I also liked it because it was inspiring in a way because every time Audrey did something different than everyone else someone would...more
Apr 28, 2012
Heidi
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
2013-beehive-nominee,
children-0-12,
biography,
nonfiction,
picture-books,
juv-6-12,
historical
I am definitely an Audrey Hepburn fan, so I'm very happy that there is a picture book to introduce our younger readers to her. I've always been impressed by her, even in roles that I wasn't fond of. I admired her as a person and for having her own beauty. Her confidence and poise--at least on screen--is an inspiration to me. The author tells just the right points of her life to show what there was/is to admire, and the illustrator nailed her. Wow. Very impressive. The illustrations and subject a...more
If you’re looking for a picture book for a young girl, you can’t do any better than Just Being Audrey. I happened upon it today & realized what a fantastic role model Audrey is, from being an awkward girl no one thought could be a dancer, going into hiding during WWII, becoming a huge star, mother and finally spending the rest of her life helping others through UNICEF. It’s so inspiring to think that maybe a little girl will discover Audrey through this book and aspire to be more than what t...more
Young readers' grandmothers will be more familiar with Audrey Hepburn than they are, but perhaps some will want to learn more after reading this picture book biography. While the format does not allow for the details of her life, readers will learn enough about Audrey's childhood to put it into historical context and details about her work for UNICEF will bring her impact into the present. The illustrations catch the entertainer's beauty and spirit, both of which lasted beyond her youth.
A timel...more
A timel...more
Just Being Audrey by Margaret Cardillo (and illustrated by Julia Denos) is an adorable children's biography of film star and human rigts activist Audrey Hepburn. In a scant 32 pages, Cardillo presents the life of Audrey Hepburn as a collection of qualities that children should strive to achieve--hard work; kindness; helping others; and self-acceptance. The illustrations are soft-colored and almost dreamlike. It is a beautiful book for every Audrey Hepburn fan (like myself) to own or a beautiful...more
"Audrey's life was not always a fairy tale, but she chose hope over sorrow. Her legacy remains; it is in the loveliness of her movies, in the kindness she showed others, and on the faces of the children she helped around the world." Just Being Audrey is a beautifully written and illustrated brief biography of Audrey Hepburn. It would be a great book to use for a unit on character. I love the advice given to her by her mother in reference to her wanting to be famous. "Others matter more than you,...more
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