The Little Ballerina

DK Eyewitness Readers

by Sally Grindley

This Level 2 reader is suitable for Grades One to Three pupils, and is part of a four-level programme of narratives for beginner readers. Written in association with the National Literacy Trust, this book is one of a structured programme which children can work through from basic word repetition to real-life accounts of the San Francisco earthquake. The books are chosen not only because they appeal to the correct age group but also because they are gripping and really grab and hold the reader's attention.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1998

About the author

I came into children's books originally as Editorial Director of a nationwide children's book club, though I had written and directed a children's play while a student at Sussex University, which was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe. I wrote my first two children's picture books in 1984 and was lucky enough that Anthony Browne wanted to illustrate the second - Knock Knock Who's There? It was published in 1985, is still going strong today and is one of my most successful.

Shhh! was published in 1991 and has known great success in France/Belgium in particular (close on 300,000 copies sold). It's success in the UK - it won the Children's Book Award - was hampered by the liquidation of its original publisher.

I became a full-time author in 1995 and now have some 150+ titles published, the most recent being L'Histoire du Soir in France, Belgium and Italy.

Feather Wars, published in 2003, was my first sortie into young fiction and was followed by the very successful Spilled Water, which has been published in some ten different languages and is very popular in schools as a class reader. It won the Nestle Smarties Gold Award (and I wound up being a 'Pointless' answer on the back of it!) Broken Glass came next and was a Sunday Times Book of the Week.

I'm currently working on picture books again and have plans to illustrate one of my own in the not too distant future - watch this space!

Reviews

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Purely as an early reader it may not interest everyone. If you're just starting ballet (or are thinking about it) then it's great because there are photos and integrated text that help to explain the five positions.

Miss 4 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[Natalia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible book! Don’t waste your money! It’s very unrealistic and bad!

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moderately tedious easy reader, but thanks to the influence of ballet dancing big sisters my little one loved it.

[Horace Mann Family Reading Challenge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laura pulled on her suit in front of the mirror. Anthony & Maya

[Terri Pray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure he'd enjoy this book, but he loved the story and tried to copy the steps (and fell over laughing). The story is cute and just enough to keep an interest in reading.