Ella Bella Ballerina and A Midsummer Night's Dream

Ella Bella once again finds herself transported into the magical world of a famous ballet in this installment of British author/artist James Mayhew's picture-book series devoted to her adventures. When she stays after class at Madame Rosa's ballet school, listening the music from Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream, she suddenly finds herself approached by Puck, and enlisted by that mischievous creature in the effort to win the fairy Queen Titania's love back for King Oberon...

There are six titles altogether, in this series, but although Ella Bella Ballerina and A Midsummer Night's Dream is the fifth, it is the last one which I have read. Like the others, I found it charming, containing a happy blend of magical ballet-related story show more and appealing watercolor illustrations. I was struck, as I have been with all the others, by the fact that Ella Bella and her fellow pupils never seem to actually have lessons - they are simply allowed to dress up and flit about to the music of Madame Rosa's music box. Given that this is so, I don't think these are the best stories, if one is looking for books that describe what young ballet dancers actually do. The books about Tallulah (Tallulah's Tutu and sequels) are better, in that respect. What the Ella Bella Ballerina books are good for, is exploring the stories behind the world's famous ballets, and I think the series could be paired very nicely with others, such as the Tallulah one. Recommended to young ballet-lovers, and to anyone looking for picture-books featuring the story of A Midsummer Night's Dream. show less