cover image Angelina on Stage

Angelina on Stage

Katharine Holabird, Helen Craig. Clarkson N Potter Publishers, $16 (25pp) ISBN 978-0-517-56073-0

In this latest addition to the Angelina series (Angelina Ballerina, etc.), Angelina is invited to perform as a magic fairy in a real grown-ups' ballet. She's delighted, but less so when her goofy younger cousin Henry is asked to perform in the ballet, too. While Angelina practices flying through the air on a wire, Henry stumbles around the stage, missing cues but nevertheless endearing himself to the cast. Though she's jealous of Henry, Angelina comes through for him on the night of the performance. The book gently reflects an older child's ambivalent feelings. But it is also a delightful story, whose delicately rendered, sweet illustrations invite the reader into the magical world of ballet. (4-7)