Rosemary Wells (1) (1943–)

Charming. I don't think I would have anywhere near the patience with Max that Ruby does, though. Poor girl, she didn't even get any lunch! I think the best surprise in the book is back end-papers, in which we see, instead of dead presidents, portraits of true heroes and role models like Mahatma Gandhi, Marie Curie, Yo-Yo Ma, etc.

"Jack had dinner early, Father played with Kate, Jack needed burping, so Nora had to wait. First she banged the window, Then she slammed the door, Then she dropped her sister's marbles on the kitchen floor." And so begins this amusing tale, told with a rollicking rhythm and rhyme, of a middle child who begins to feel a bit neglected, as her mother concentrates on her baby brother, and her father on her older sister, and who decides that the best way to get attention is to make a lot of show more noise. Nothing she does seems to work, however, until 'Noisy Nora' decides to try something a little different: silence...

Originally published in 1973, with simple artwork in two or three colors, and then reprinted in this 1997 edition, with new, all-color illustrations, Noisy Nora is an immensely engaging, thoroughly readable picture-book, one that would make a fabulous story-hour selection! Middle children will identify with Nora's feeling of neglect - as will most children, really - and sympathize with her determined efforts to gain attention. The ending, in which her family is revealed to be very aware of her after all, is both amusing and reassuring. Thanks, Miriam, for pointing me toward this one! show less

Much to the disappointment of his parents, Charles Mouse doesn’t like to talk. He doesn’t say, “Thank you” or “Good-bye.” He avoids the phone and he’s perfectly happy playing all by himself. He sleeps through ballet class and isn’t any better at football. Will Charles ever learn to speak up for himself?

Written in rhyme, “Shy Charles” is an interesting look at a very shy, introverted child and his way of coping with the world. Like many parents, Charles’s mother and show more father do not seem to understand that his silence is because of his shyness; they worry that he has no manners [and they are, perhaps, a bit embarrassed]. They worry about how he will get along in the world if he cannot speak up for himself.

But Charles understands much more than his parents realize and when there’s an emergency with the babysitter, he knows exactly what to do. And he does it without hesitation.

Here, in Charles, young readers see that everyone is different and that that’s okay. Young readers who share Charles’s shyness see that there’s nothing wrong with being shy and quiet. And Charles accepts that his parents want him to be involved in things, so he willingly tries whatever they suggest, even ballet and football. But they can’t change his shyness.

Here, young readers see that parents aren’t perfect, they sometimes react badly, they sometimes make mistakes and speak harshly. And the way they speak to their child in this story is terribly upsetting . . . and difficult to defend. But there’s no doubt that they love Charles . . . in their own way, they’re trying to help him fit into the world. When Charles cries, it’s not clear if it’s because of the words his father has spoken or because he feels sad that his father is disappointed in him. There’s a lesson here for parents: perhaps they don’t quite understand their child, but harsh words won’t change anything and, like sticks and stones, they hurt.

Charmingly illustrated, this is a book for young readers and parents to read together and discuss. The message here is that what you say [and how you say it] is important and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with shyness or being different from others. Being yourself is perfectly fine . . . . show less

Narrated in the first-person, this picture-book biography sets out the story of ballerina Maria Tallchief's childhood, from her early years on an Osage Indian reservation in Oklahoma - her father was Osage, her mother Scots-Irish - through her family's move west, to an as-yet-undeveloped Los Angeles. The importance of music and dance, in her development, is beautifully and amply explored, as Tallchief, aided by veteran children's author Rosemary Wells, explains how it effected her - how it show more would "course through her body." Prompted by her father, she chose to concentrate on ballet, rather than try to pursue both ballet and piano, and studied under Madame Nijinska in L.A. The story closes as Tallchief, inspired by the skill and grace of the dancers of the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, leaves to study and dance in New York City...

The narrative voice in Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina is strong, giving the reader the feeling that she is really getting a glimpse into Tallchief's heart and mind. I know very little about the history of the Osage people, so I was fascinated to learn how wealthy they were, as a result of the discovery of oil on their lands. This contrasted so sharply with the cultural oppression they experienced, as their traditional dancing and ceremonies were banned. I was also fascinated by the progression of Tallchief's studies, as she went from a small-town dance instructor who wasn't very good, to a world-class teacher like Nijinska. What a difference that must have been! Although I think I would have preferred the story to continue, and follow Tallchief as she became a ballerina, I liked what was there, and was particularly moved by her emotionally rich descriptions of what music and dance meant to her.

All in all, an engaging biography of one of America's most celebrated ballet dancers, one I recommend to all young readers who are themselves dancers, who are interested in the arts, or who just appreciate a good biography! show less