Book Review: Magic Ballerina Series
Fun Magical Ballet Books by Prima Ballerina Darcey Bussell
Prima Ballerina Darcey Bussell shares her love and knowledge of the world of ballet in a series of young reader books about dancing and a very special pair of red ballet slippers. The first six books of The Magic Ballerina series offer readers a glimpse of magic as a young ballet student is transported from her everyday life by the wonder of dance and the enchanted ballet slippers.
Introducing the Magic Ballerina
Delphie Durand dreams of becoming a ballerina, but her parents aren’t able to send her to lessons. Undeterred, she borrows every book she can about ballet and practices in her room in private. She envies the girls she sees attending Madame Zarakova’s Dance School.
Spotted by Madam Zarakova (Madame Za-Za) as she is peering into the window of the Ballet School, Delphie is taken inside. Madame Za-Za provides her with a leotard and a pair of special red ballet slippers and offers to teach Delphie for free.
Delphie is the central character in the first six book series of The Magic Ballerina. She discovers not only the captivating experience of dancing in her own world but is also taken to the magical land of Enchantia. Delphie attends dancing lessons and prepares for concerts at her ballet school and also has adventures in the land of Enchantia as she helps the people there.
At the end of book #6 (Delphie and the Birthday Show), Delphie passes on the enchanted ballet slippers to a younger dancer, so readers can look forward to all new adventures with Rosa in future series.
Enjoying the Magical World of Ballet
In both the real world and Enchantia, readers are introduced to famous Ballets and some of their well-known central characters including The Nutcracker and The Sugar Plum Fairy. Each book also includes instructions on performing some of Delphie’s favourite ballet steps, including first to fifth position, demi-plié, arabesque and a curtain-call curtsey.
For further fun in Enchantia, readers can visit the Magic Ballerina website where there are games, competitions and information about ballet and Enchantia.
While The Magic Ballerina series is aimed at a similar audience to the popular Rainbow Magic series by Daisy Meadows, the additional information about ballet written by an author with experience as a dancer and an obvious passion for ballet and all it entails gives this series an additional charm.
About the Author: Darcey Bussell
A world-famous ballerina, Darcey Bussell auditioned for the Royal Ballet School in London at the age of 13. Accepted into the Royal Ballet’s Upper School in 1985 she joined the Royal Ballet proper in 1988.
In addition to her stellar career as a dancer, she has featured in a South Bank Show documentary and numerous television programs including The Vicar of Dibley in 1998 and The Kumars at No. 42 in 2006. Since her official retirement in 2007, she has teamed up with Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins to perform in the successful musical show Viva la Diva.
Sharing the Enchantment of Ballet
Darcey’s own experiences with ballet have obviously inspired her to share the magic of this form of dance. The Magic Ballerina series is ideal for readers who are beginning to read independently, most particularly girls from the ages of seven to ten.
The books are enjoyable and convey all the enchantment of a ballet performance with the added sparkle of the adventures in Enchantia. Delphie is sure to become a popular character with young fans of the ballet.
The Magic Ballerina Series
#1 Delphie and the Magic Ballet Shoes (ISBN: 978-0-00-728607-2, 93 pages)
#2 Delphie and the Magic Spell (ISBN: 978-0-00-728608-9, 93 pages)
#3 Delphie and the Masked Ball (ISBN: 978-0-00-728610-2, 93 pages)
#4 Delphie and the Glass Slippers (ISBN: 978-0-00-728617-1, 93 pages)
#5 Delphie and the Fairy Godmother (ISBN: 978-0-00-728611-9, 93 pages)
#6 Delphie and the Birthday Show (ISBN: 978-0-00-728612-6, 93 pages)
The Magic Ballerina Series by Darcey Bussell
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