The Dancing Class

by Helen Oxenbury

A small child's first ballet class is nearly a disaster.

Genres: Picture Books

23 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Married to John Burningham

Born in 1938 and growing up in Ipswich, England, Helen Oxenbury loved nothing more than drawing. As a teenager, she entered art school and basked in the pleasure of drawing, and nothing but drawing, all day. During vacations she helped out at the Ipswich Repertory Theatre workshop, mixing paints for set designers. It was there that she decided her future lay in theater design.

While studying costume design, however, Helen Oxenbury was told by a teacher, "This is hopeless, you know. You ought to go and do illustrations--you're much more interested in the character, and we don't know who's going to play the part!"


But sets and scenery, not books, remained Helen Oxenbury's preoccupation for several more years as she embarked on careers in theater, film, and TV. After marrying John Burningham, another of the world's most eminent children's book illustrators, and giving birth to their first child, at last she turned to illustrating children's books. "When I had babies," Helen Oxenbury says, "I wanted to be home with them and look for something to do there."


Today, Helen Oxenbury is among the most popular and critically acclaimed illustrators of her time. Her numerous books for children include the Greenaway Medal-winning ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND and its companion, ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, both by Lewis Carroll; Smarties Book Prize-winning FARMER DUCK by Martin Waddell; SO MUCH by Trish Cooke; as well as her classic board books for babies. More recently, she collaborated with author Phyllis Root on the jubilant, no-nonsense tall tale BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD. "As I read Phyllis's text, I imagined Big Momma as part Buddha, part housewife," she says. "It was intimidating to create a whole world, but very enjoyable."


And what does she love most about her work? Thinking up new ideas? Seeing the finished book? Not at all. For Helen, "The best part is when I think I know what I'm doing and I've completed a few drawings. In fact, when I get about a third of the way through, and I feel I'm on my way, then I'm happy. It's like reading a good book--you don't want it to end."


Helen Oxenbury and her husband make their home in London, where the illustrator works in a nearby studio. She is also an avid tennis player.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. A short board book about a child attending their first dancing class. The illustrations were not to my taste and it could have been a bit longer.

Read on open library.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story about a little girl starting ballet lessons. It introduces what the children wear to ballet and what they start doing when they are younger. I liked the fact that even though the young girl in the book knocked everyone over; the teacher said to her that with each lesson she will improve, so she mustn't worry about the first day. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The simplest little story in the world, of a young girl's first ballet class and the small disasters that can mean so much to a child and can be helped by encouragement. Lovely small format is just right for a child's hands and happily, both boys and girls and different ethnicities will see themselves reflected. But of course Oxenbury is always thoughtful. Her delicate illustrations charm.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

The listing for this title is for a paperback copyrighted in 1993 and I just finished the same title copyrighted in 1983 in a rebound form. Wish I had been aware of this cute take on dance class when my daughter was doing these very things. Dance class is a fun chapter in families lives and Helen Oxenbury captured it well.