Designs By Isabelle

American Girl: Isabelle #2

by Laurence Yep, Anna Kmet (Illustrator)

As Isabelle rehearses her ballet routine for The Nutcracker, she wonders if she'll ever master her pirouettes, especially with her classmate Renata pointing out her every mistake. She tries focusing on the other parts of the production she enjoys: exploring the costume and props room and helping out with costumes for some of the younger dancers. But when Jade, her big sister who also attends Anna Hart School of the Arts, becomes moody and withdrawn, Isabelle taps into her design skills to try to find a solution for Jade. In the meantime, can Isabelle find the confidence to tune out Renata and perfect her own performance, too?

Genres: Contemporary, Childrens, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Juvenile

124 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Born June 14, 1948 in San Francisco, California, Yep was the son of Thomas Gim Yep and Franche Lee Yep. Franche Lee, her family's youngest child, was born in Ohio and raised in West Virginia where her family owned a Chinese laundry. Yep's father, Thomas, was born in China and came to America at the age of ten where he lived, not in Chinatown, but with an Irish friend in a white neighborhood. After troubling times during the Depression, he was able to open a grocery store in an African-American neighborhood. Growing up in San Francisco, Yep felt alienated. He was in his own words his neighborhood's "all-purpose Asian" and did not feel he had a culture of his own. Joanne Ryder, a children's book author, and Yep met and became friends during college while she was his editor. They later married and now live in San Francisco.

Although not living in Chinatown, Yep commuted to a parochial bilingual school there. Other students at the school, according to Yep, labeled him a "dumbbell Chinese" because he spoke only English. During high school he faced the white American culture for the first time. However, it was while attending high school that he started writing for a science fiction magazine, being paid one cent a word for his efforts. After two years at Marquette University, Yep transferred to the University of California at Santa Cruz where he graduated in 1970 with a B.A. He continued on to earn a Ph.D. in English from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1975. Today as well as writing, he has taught writing and Asian American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley and Santa Barbara.

Reviews

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book entirely while waiting for my computer to generate PDFs of a children's book that I was working for a client--somewhat inspired by this series. I was surprised at how very much I enjoyed this book. I guess I should read more kid-lit! This book had a clear story arc, likable characters that I wanted to succeed, challenges to overcome, useful tips on overcoming adversity, and a positive, inspiring vibe. It's short and very simple, but maybe that's the beauty of it. I can't remember the last time I read an adult book that was so crisp. This book didn't have anything that didn't need to be there, and reading it made me very happy. I assumed this series was purely a money-maker, but this book was good! Even though the client project is over now, I actually went back to the library and got a bunch more in the series, just to read for fun.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was very boring, and I mostly skimmed through it. I'm not sorry that the library has already deleted the last book from the system, because I don't think I would want to finish this series anyway. However, this book wasn't a waste of time for me, because I enjoyed the Nutcracker setting and my flood of memories from seeing two of my best childhood friends perform that ballet each Christmas season.

Isabelle dances as a gingerbread in her dance school's production, while her older sister plays Clara. This made me think of the sisters that I was friends with, since the older one fulfilled her lifelong dream of being Clara, while the other typically had smaller roles and danced as a gingerbread more than once. The older sister is now in law school, and the former gingerbread is now a United States Marine. I'm glad that this book brought back good memories from our childhoods, but I have to say, their interest range is far more interesting than Isabelle's, since she only branched out into fashion design!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Designs by Isabelle by Laurence Yep is a book about a girl named Isabelle that likes to dance and design. The book is about Isabelle designing the costumes for the play that shes in. I did like this book because is really interesting and it inspired me. I would recommend this book to all the people that like american girls book and people that like to dance or design.

[AurorainBookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars because everyone likes her designs which isn't realistic I would love to have seen her deal with constructive criticism from adults and maybe a not so nice comment from a kid. Seriously American girl in real life you don't always get what you want or worked so hard for McKenna got on the competitive team it would have been nice to see her deal with not getting a place on the team since there were so few spots. I'm going to write my own books that are more realistic so girls can lean how to deal with disappointment and criticism that you get in real life. It's a good book but it would have been better see above comment.

In the real girls real stories the knitter is Phoenix Bess she has a book it girl knits published in 2008 and patterns on raverly just search her name.

[noelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

These books just do not sit right with me. The dolls and movies from American Girl are great, but the books? Meh. The characters are stereotypical, the story lines are overused and the writing is at times choppy. I understand that the authors were instructed to write at a 3rd-5th grade level, but some have done better at this than others. And then of, course there are the happily-ever-after type endings. Everyone ends up loving Isabelle's designs, and not one person disagrees that Isabelle is the best designer ever! Yay! Anyway, this book is just not my favorite, and I doubt I'll read it again.

[Brylee Ure · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book

[Anna Grace]

It reminds it of myself. #dancer4ever

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one better than the last one because it followed the story of the progression of the nutcracker show and I liked imagining it and thinking about the holidays. I felt like the story was more pointed than the last one and I liked seeing her improve in her dancing and in her accomplishments with design.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man, I cannot get into these stories. Isabelle isn't bratty or anything bad. She is just kinda bland. She's very nice and helpful and successful, but idk, maybe it's because I'm not into ballet? I don't feel anything much when I read these. It's not like this was necessarily a bad story, it's definitely very bland though.

[Antonela LoRusso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I like the cover. I think it's really pretty. I also like the relationship of Jade and Isabelle. I like how it's a big sister that you always go to and look up to. Pretty accurate coming from a fellow youngest child.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isabelle learns to use her talents.

[Ty Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is so good I have read it like three times

[Shani · Rating 4 out of 5]

3/20/18 Quick Review:
I think if I could do half stars, I may put 3.5. I think it's good, and quite a well told story. But I'm not sure how special it is. As I said, it's good.

[Galion Public Library Teens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review by M.T. : "I liked when Jackie asked Isabelle to be in her show and dance with her. Girls would like this."

[amia 🇵🇸🌟💤 (taylor's ver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably weird but I ship Jade x Paul

[HannahBeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not any better than the first one.

[Sophia Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why do these books have 4 star ratings. Isabelle’s books are so shallow. Though I do recommend Kananis books.

[Bekah Stoltzfoos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked when it was time for the ballet show! I can’t believe that I finished it in one day!!!!!’

[Cadee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I loved this book. I think you will enjoy it." -Cadee, age 12

[Jessica Arend · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

My attempt at checking out some of the contemporary American Girl books was pretty much a failure. These three Isabelle books were dull and uninteresting to me, lacking in anything that I found truly engaging. Just very bland.

[Aliza Heslop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how you get to see the design side and dance side of Isabelle. She was so thoughtful with Jade and Addison.

[Xyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one better than the first. Here the self doubt and nervousness sounded more genuine and was better placed. Detractors will note a few of the plot points to be unlikely or unrealistic, but there are cases where true talent in young people is recognized and appreciated by adults so I feel they were okay. If you have read the book and are not sure what I mean, then those plot points set well with you too.

At the end of the first book, Jade and Isabelle (and many of Isabelle's friends or classmates) are cast in The Nutcracker. This book focuses on the rehearsals and time leading up to the big day as well as the first big performance of the holiday season. We get to see Isabelle battle her inner demons with help from the adults involved with the performance.

It is interesting that the first book focuses on daily life at school and here (except for a math quiz) we only see the rehearsals for the Nutcracker. Are they working on this at school? Instead of school? In addition to regular school classes and dance classes?

The secondary and tertiary characters are very flat. I really want more from and of the best friend, Luisa. She is a best friend and could be very well rounded and more present than she is.

The trickle down advice is really great. Isabelle is not afraid to take advice from the other people in her life including the adults. She takes their help to heart and even uses it to help others. Very impressive and very mature. Like Jackie...I give Isabelle a thumbs up.

Isabelle's love of dance and design provide a depth of skill and interest that will help her later in life. She is very talented and if something should happen to her dance career, she has a great fallback option.

Good book two. On to book Three.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining little book, which as a stand alone rates 4 stars, but as part of the series, perhaps only 3 -- the plot, as far as our main character is concerned, is almost identical to the first book.

And a quibble: Five more minutes spent with a map of the D.C. metropolitan area would have benefited Yep. In book one, he misstates Georgetown's location within the city; in book two, he calls Silver Spring, Maryland, "Silver Springs", an error a local like Isabelle would never make. For a publisher that strives for realism and factual accuracy in its books, these errors of geography, small as they are, are nonetheless embarrassing (and uncharacteristic).

[Marian · Rating 3 out of 5]

So the great Jade drama of the previous book is back and resolved in the second outing.

Spoilers ahoy!

I figured that the issue was that Jade was getting taller, however it's not that she's getting *too* tall or anything, just that she's taller than the guy she's dancing with and people are making cracks about it.

Isabelle saves the day, there's dancing, and I really have to admit that I think the friendship Isabelle and her sister, Jade, have is adorable.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this read, again, a very good book! I loved how the characters continued to reveal themselves in the plot, and the simple yet entertaining way Laurence Yep wrote this book; the characters were very real. This book was an excellent end to the first book, and appears to be an excellent beginning to the last book!

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isabelle gets a big role in the Nutcracker well not as big as her sister who is playing clara! Isabelle keeps messing up and is worried the directer will drop her. Renata is jealous and wants Isabelle's part and is being unkind to Isabelle. Jade Isabelle's sister seems to being have some problem but wont admit it. Will jade admit it? Will Isabelle perfect her part or be dropped out?

[Lisamarie Jerue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book

I loved this book. This book is right for girls who love dancing or sewing or even designing. Isabelle is my favorite American Girl and I hope she will be yours too! I also recommend you to read the first book "Isabelle"

[Julie G Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool

the words and phrases were funny in some parts. I know Isabelle was scared but she was the best in the cast.

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was just as good as the first one, if not better. Laurence Yep strikes again!