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Angelina Ballerina
A Very Special Secret
Princess Sophie of Mouseland is staying at Angelina’s house for two weeks, and Angelina couldn’t be more delighted! She can’t wait for Alice to meet the princess. But when Alice and Sophie are chosen to be the star ballerinas in the big performance, Angelina feels very left out. Has Angelina lost her best friends forever?
- GenresFiction
80 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2006
About the author
Katharine Holabird
290 books82 followersKatharine Holabird is an American writer, best known as the author of the Angelina Ballerina series.
As a child, Holabird was an avid reader who loved fairy tales and stories about heroic animals, and she frequently saw ballets like Cinderella and Swan Lake with her grandmother. The young, imaginative Holabird loved animals, playing in her tree house, and dancing with her sisters. In 1969, she received a B.A. in literature from Bennington College in Vermont and then worked at Bennington College as a literary editor for a year after her graduation. Holabird then found herself in Italy as a freelance journalist where she met her husband, Michael Haggiag. The two married in 1974 and moved to London where she continued to write and worked at a nursery school.
In 1983, her first children’s book, Angelina Ballerina, was published. Holabird’s son, Adam, was her inspiration for the character Henry, and Angelina’s character was inspired by her daughters’ love for dressing up and dancing. Holabird wrote the first draft of Angelina Ballerina at the kitchen table with her daughters dancing around her. In fact, the Angelina books were originally about a girl, but then Craig drew a mouse, and Holabird loved it. “The impulsive character of Angelina came alive,” says Holabird, “and seemed to pirouette off the page with enthusiasm and energy, while her plump and ebullient body expressed drama and attitude in every twitch of her tail.” Angelina is a very emotional character; she is sensitive and often bursts into tears right before offering an apology. She struggles with her conscience but always ends up doing the right thing—which is very familiar to many young children. The universal childhood themes in Angelina include friendship, jealousy, loyalty, & dedication. Holabird’s goal was to realistically portray the difficulties of growing up. According to Holabird, it is a ballerina book for “all the passionate little dancers and performers in the world,” including her own two daughters, which is why she “decided to explore the impulsive, highly emotional character of a small but determined ballerina.”
The first American edition of Angelina Ballerina was published in 1984. A year later, Holabird received the Kentucky Bluegrass Award for Angelina Ballerina. In 1986 and 1987, she received the ALA Notable Book Awards. Angelina’s Christmas was selected as Child Study Association’s Children’s Book of the Year in 1987. The following year, Holabird and Craig published Alexander and the Dragon, their first Alexander book; it is aimed at preschool children who want to be consoled about bedtime monsters. In 1990, Holabird wrote the Alexander sequel, Alexander and the Magic Boat, which portrays a strong mother/son relationship while the two go on a voyage to imaginary worlds. Also in 1990, Holabird received the British Book Design and Production award.
In 1999, HIT Entertainment in London (known for Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder, and Barney) secured the rights for Angelina Ballerina and commissioned Grand Slamm Children's Films to make an animated TV pilot. HIT also developed a lot of Angelina merchandise. Angelina made her worldwide television debut in 2001 on CITV in the United Kingdom. In 2002, the Angelina series premiered on PBS Kids TV in the United States. Angelina Ballerina’s Invitation to the Ballet received the prestigious Oppenheim Platinum Award in the U.S. in 2004. That same year, Angelina was named the official spokesperson of National Dance Week in the United States. In 2005, Angelina made her debut on PBS Kids Sprout, a twenty-four-hour digital television channel for preschoolers in the U.S.
As a child, Holabird was an avid reader who loved fairy tales and stories about heroic animals, and she frequently saw ballets like Cinderella and Swan Lake with her grandmother. The young, imaginative Holabird loved animals, playing in her tree house, and dancing with her sisters. In 1969, she received a B.A. in literature from Bennington College in Vermont and then worked at Bennington College as a literary editor for a year after her graduation. Holabird then found herself in Italy as a freelance journalist where she met her husband, Michael Haggiag. The two married in 1974 and moved to London where she continued to write and worked at a nursery school.
In 1983, her first children’s book, Angelina Ballerina, was published. Holabird’s son, Adam, was her inspiration for the character Henry, and Angelina’s character was inspired by her daughters’ love for dressing up and dancing. Holabird wrote the first draft of Angelina Ballerina at the kitchen table with her daughters dancing around her. In fact, the Angelina books were originally about a girl, but then Craig drew a mouse, and Holabird loved it. “The impulsive character of Angelina came alive,” says Holabird, “and seemed to pirouette off the page with enthusiasm and energy, while her plump and ebullient body expressed drama and attitude in every twitch of her tail.” Angelina is a very emotional character; she is sensitive and often bursts into tears right before offering an apology. She struggles with her conscience but always ends up doing the right thing—which is very familiar to many young children. The universal childhood themes in Angelina include friendship, jealousy, loyalty, & dedication. Holabird’s goal was to realistically portray the difficulties of growing up. According to Holabird, it is a ballerina book for “all the passionate little dancers and performers in the world,” including her own two daughters, which is why she “decided to explore the impulsive, highly emotional character of a small but determined ballerina.”
The first American edition of Angelina Ballerina was published in 1984. A year later, Holabird received the Kentucky Bluegrass Award for Angelina Ballerina. In 1986 and 1987, she received the ALA Notable Book Awards. Angelina’s Christmas was selected as Child Study Association’s Children’s Book of the Year in 1987. The following year, Holabird and Craig published Alexander and the Dragon, their first Alexander book; it is aimed at preschool children who want to be consoled about bedtime monsters. In 1990, Holabird wrote the Alexander sequel, Alexander and the Magic Boat, which portrays a strong mother/son relationship while the two go on a voyage to imaginary worlds. Also in 1990, Holabird received the British Book Design and Production award.
In 1999, HIT Entertainment in London (known for Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder, and Barney) secured the rights for Angelina Ballerina and commissioned Grand Slamm Children's Films to make an animated TV pilot. HIT also developed a lot of Angelina merchandise. Angelina made her worldwide television debut in 2001 on CITV in the United Kingdom. In 2002, the Angelina series premiered on PBS Kids TV in the United States. Angelina Ballerina’s Invitation to the Ballet received the prestigious Oppenheim Platinum Award in the U.S. in 2004. That same year, Angelina was named the official spokesperson of National Dance Week in the United States. In 2005, Angelina made her debut on PBS Kids Sprout, a twenty-four-hour digital television channel for preschoolers in the U.S.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 27, 2020
#Fiction Children Literature Grade level 2-4
This book is defiantly a fun leisure read for kids. Katharine Holabird caught my attention by the format the novel because she tell the story through Angelina's dairy entrees. I find that very interesting because she has to stick a voice and point of view of Angelina. I think she implemented that very well with sticking with key phase/ words. These repetitive words that Angelina tend to use is a great way to introduce big words to kids: Stupendous, ginormous, gruesome, and etc.
The story set up/ exposition is longer than the climax and resolution of the story combine. With that Holabird's description of the town and play mouse pun/wordplay makes it interesting, and her characters relationship dynamic makes this very relatable. I can picture my little cousin going through the same thing.
I feel the way the problem I seen coming but the way it was resolved and reveled was a different route than expected. I applaud it because it turned the problem form an external one to a internal problem of doubt.
Angelina's professionalism and maturity touched me in away. She takes the time she needs for herself and even when she wants to be selfish, she knows she can't let her team down pushing through her own pain. She is a very brave lovable character.
Illustration was done by Helen Craig, tho colorless they were not lifeless. The illustration looks like a pen drawing with very intricate and selected. We only see the subject that matters and that is talked about , yet that is filled with depth (foreground and background ) emotions and motion is captured well to that the picture pops on the page.
This book is defiantly a fun leisure read for kids. Katharine Holabird caught my attention by the format the novel because she tell the story through Angelina's dairy entrees. I find that very interesting because she has to stick a voice and point of view of Angelina. I think she implemented that very well with sticking with key phase/ words. These repetitive words that Angelina tend to use is a great way to introduce big words to kids: Stupendous, ginormous, gruesome, and etc.
The story set up/ exposition is longer than the climax and resolution of the story combine. With that Holabird's description of the town and play mouse pun/wordplay makes it interesting, and her characters relationship dynamic makes this very relatable. I can picture my little cousin going through the same thing.
I feel the way the problem I seen coming but the way it was resolved and reveled was a different route than expected. I applaud it because it turned the problem form an external one to a internal problem of doubt.
Angelina's professionalism and maturity touched me in away. She takes the time she needs for herself and even when she wants to be selfish, she knows she can't let her team down pushing through her own pain. She is a very brave lovable character.
Illustration was done by Helen Craig, tho colorless they were not lifeless. The illustration looks like a pen drawing with very intricate and selected. We only see the subject that matters and that is talked about , yet that is filled with depth (foreground and background ) emotions and motion is captured well to that the picture pops on the page.
September 10, 2023
Cute storyline
August 1, 2010
I like this store becus Sophie came over. That wus the best part. And thae had a secrit club hows.
Read
March 30, 2011Cute little book about the mouse ballerina Angelina. Very British. Fun to figure out what some things translate to. Fun also to see how the problem of jealousy is resolved.
January 2, 2015
A part of my childhood. <3
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews