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Angelina Ballerina
Angelina's Halloween
Trick-or-Treat with Angelina Ballerina! For Halloween, Angelina and her friend Alice make glorious firefly costumes—complete with delicate wings and tiaras. Angelina's little sister, Polly, wants to be a pretty firefly too. But Angelina thinks she's too little. Polly settles for dressing up as a ghost, and on Halloween night, gives Angelina a surprise scare!
32 pages, Paperback
Published August 17, 2006
About the author
Katharine Holabird
296 books84 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 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 31, 2008
Darling. I'm partial to Angelina,anyway, and this is the perfect sort of Halloween tale; adorable, sweet little mice dressed in cute little costumes, trick-or-treating. The artwork is precious! Definitely a treat.
February 16, 2024
Enjoyed seeing Angelina grow in charitability. Not too scary. I love imagining this world as taking place in miniature, and the costumes were just *chef's kiss* in my mind.
June 11, 2008
I love all things Angelina!
October 5, 2023
This book was about Angelina and her friend wanted to be Fire Fly's for Halloween and Angelina's little sister wanted to be a Fire Fly too. But Angelina thought she was too small. So she went as a ghost. They had fun Trick or Treating but then Angelina found out she lost her sister. Have fun reading the book to see if they find her sister.
October 30, 2019
Angelina and her best friend dress up as fireflies for Halloween. Baby sister Polly wants to be like her sister Angelina, but has to settle for being a ghost. During the festivities Polly gets separated from Angelina in the crowd, and Angelina must search for Polly.
August 16, 2018
This is a bit too texty for storytime but I love the illustrations in Angelina books. So nostalgic! The story about being worried about her sister is very charming, too.
September 29, 2019
It’s fine.
December 31, 2019
Great little children’s book about Halloween
October 7, 2020
I love this series I used to read as a kid and enjoying reading it with my daughter, now. Beautiful, intricate illustrations full of wonder make it one I keep going back to.
November 11, 2020
solid
July 30, 2022
saw this in the local bookstore and in my mind i said, “you’re coming home with me.” 😂
i used to watch angelina in cd’s and reading this really reminded me of my childhood. 🤍
i used to watch angelina in cd’s and reading this really reminded me of my childhood. 🤍
October 3, 2022
Delightful--lovely illustrations
October 21, 2022
The Angelina books always have such beautiful, detailed illustrations. Love that the characters are mice; there’s something so endearing about their world.
August 27, 2025
I'd rate this higher than a '2,' actually. Very little here to differentiate it from the mountain of other seasonal books for children.
September 16, 2025
My sister read me this as a bedtime story and I loved it. That’s all
February 18, 2015
Personal Reaction:
I enjoyed this book because it reminded me a lot of the relationship I had with my older sister when we were much younger. I wanted to do everything that she did just like Polly wanted to do everything that Angelina did, and my sister did not like it. It wasn't until we were older that she wanted to hang out with me and do the same things as me, like Polly and Angelina did for the next Halloween. I think that connection with my sister is why I liked it so much because now I can look back and laugh at how I wanted to copy her all of the time. This story shows that even though someone may not show it all the time, they really do care tremendously about you and it might just take a small event to really see it and have that love confirmed.
Purposes:
-1st and 2nd grade read aloud
Read Aloud Enrichments
-Enjoyment: this is a good book to read around Halloween time to get your students in the mood to figure out what costume they are going to wear and what candy they will bring to the Halloween party. You can ask the students what they are going to wear and what costumes they have worn in the past.
-Educational enrichment: Angelina was taught a powerful lesson when she didn't want to hang out with her sister but ended up splitting up with her. When she realized that, she felt bad and missed her sister and went everywhere looking for her until she found her. After this she really had appreciation for her sister. This could be connected to students' siblings or their friends in the class. A great lesson to be taught is to include everyone no matter what. If students are feeling excluded, this book can be read, even if its not Halloween time.
Curriculum:
-This book has a lot of dialogue which is good to read to kids of this age.
-It could also be read in a sewing class because it talks about making their own Halloween costume
I enjoyed this book because it reminded me a lot of the relationship I had with my older sister when we were much younger. I wanted to do everything that she did just like Polly wanted to do everything that Angelina did, and my sister did not like it. It wasn't until we were older that she wanted to hang out with me and do the same things as me, like Polly and Angelina did for the next Halloween. I think that connection with my sister is why I liked it so much because now I can look back and laugh at how I wanted to copy her all of the time. This story shows that even though someone may not show it all the time, they really do care tremendously about you and it might just take a small event to really see it and have that love confirmed.
Purposes:
-1st and 2nd grade read aloud
Read Aloud Enrichments
-Enjoyment: this is a good book to read around Halloween time to get your students in the mood to figure out what costume they are going to wear and what candy they will bring to the Halloween party. You can ask the students what they are going to wear and what costumes they have worn in the past.
-Educational enrichment: Angelina was taught a powerful lesson when she didn't want to hang out with her sister but ended up splitting up with her. When she realized that, she felt bad and missed her sister and went everywhere looking for her until she found her. After this she really had appreciation for her sister. This could be connected to students' siblings or their friends in the class. A great lesson to be taught is to include everyone no matter what. If students are feeling excluded, this book can be read, even if its not Halloween time.
Curriculum:
-This book has a lot of dialogue which is good to read to kids of this age.
-It could also be read in a sewing class because it talks about making their own Halloween costume
February 22, 2015
Angelina's Halloween is a sweet story with fun illustrations. I enjoyed reading the book and I believe students would as well.
This book would be most appropriate for first and second graders to read around halloween. There is not a lot of educational value to the book but I think it would serve as a reminder to students on how to treat younger siblings. The language is very descriptive, which is why I believe first and second graders would benefit most from it. Overall, the book was sweet and fun but not a must read to students.
This book would be most appropriate for first and second graders to read around halloween. There is not a lot of educational value to the book but I think it would serve as a reminder to students on how to treat younger siblings. The language is very descriptive, which is why I believe first and second graders would benefit most from it. Overall, the book was sweet and fun but not a must read to students.
October 24, 2011
A wonderful treat of a read that teaches and explains all the fun parts of Halloween and the most important trick of all...sticking together! After visiting a haunted house big sister finds herself having lost her little sister after having a fun time at a party. When she discovers where her missing sister was, she realizes the importance of sticking together and how much family means to her. This was so cute and pefect to read for a nice little Halloween treat!
November 15, 2008
If you have an Angelina fan than this book will make them happy, I am not such a fan. It had the same mishaps as all Halloween books do when an older sibling is put in charge of a younger sibling for Trick-or-treating. Younger sibling gets lost and older sibling doesn't tell an adult but goes off to find the lost child.
September 24, 2010
This is the first Angelina book I've read and I wasn't that impressed by it. The illustrations had nice details, but the story wasn't especially interesting or the character's captivating. My guess is that the original tales are a bit better. There was a moral - to not ignore your sister who adores you - and I liked how it wasn't plainly stated.
December 22, 2015
Very cute story about Angelina, her sister Polly and her friends celebrating Halloween. An interesting moral about little sisters who want to copy you as well as keeping track of them if they are with you. No parents chaperoned the trick or treaters, but it's a minor detail.
November 2, 2008
Very cute and sweet story. Great Halloween story for young kids, or older readers who might be a bit more sensitive to the scarier Halloween books.:) The art work is delightful and the story of the siblings quite sweet.:)
February 14, 2012
We enjoyed this cute book about Angelina's Halloween adventure. The kids enjoyed the detailed pictures. My son could relate to having a tag-along little sister to look after. Overall it was cute, but not incredibly memorable. Perhaps we'll pull it back out around Halloween time.
April 5, 2013
Another Angelina Ballerina book. This time her and Alice are preparing for the Halloween parade. Little sister, Polly, wants to come, and do everything like the big girls. But when the big girls continue to ignore little sis, what will happen.
October 9, 2014
What fun illustrations of Angelina and her mouse friends in their Halloween costumes. Of course, Angelina's little sister wants to be just like her big sister and how does that work out? Good story ending.
February 13, 2015
I thought this was a very cute book that could be read to the students around Halloween town. It had very animated pictures that could allow students to stay engaged. The story also had a good moral to the story that the students could relate to if they had younger siblings.
October 14, 2010
Nice pictures drawn like stage sets. The three year old is just getting into these books.
October 10, 2012
One of the better Halloween stories in picture book format.
October 23, 2012
okay story; adoarble illustrations
themes: costumes, haunted house, Halloween, little sisters, trick-or-treating
themes: costumes, haunted house, Halloween, little sisters, trick-or-treating
November 8, 2014
It was a fun book to read aloud. The kids that I read it to, seemed to enjoyed the story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews