• Age: 6 to 9
• Grade: 1 to 4

"Spare, poetic words sit as lightly as snowflakes."—Wall Street Journal
"An enchanting glimpse of a dancer whose name has come to be synonymous with her most famous role."—School Library Journal, starred review

One night, young Anna's mother takes her to the ballet, and everything is changed. So begins the journey of a girl who will one day grow up to be the most famous prima ballerina of all time, inspiring legions of dancers after her: the brave, the generous, the transcendently gifted Anna Pavlova. Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova is a heartbreakingly beautiful picture book biography perfect for aspiring ballerinas of all ages.

Laurel Snyder's profile page

 span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Julie Morstadspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"> is an author, illustrator and artist living in Vancouver, British Columbia.  Her most recent book for children, How To, marks her authorial debut, and has received starred reviews in Kirkus, School Library Journal and Quill & Quire, as well as a Governor General's award nomination. Books she has illustrated for children include When You Were Small, recipient of the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award; When I Was Small, winner of the Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize; and Singing Away the Dark, which was shortlisted for a number of children's literature prizes.

 

Julie Morstad's profile page

"A tender, delicate recounting."-Publishers Weekly

Cool Mom Picks' 10 Most Empowering Books for Girls

"Elgantly captures the meaning of Anna Pavlova's extraordinary life...inspiring."--The San Francisco Chronicle

"An enchanting glimpse of a dancer whose name has come to be synonymous with her most famous role."--School Library Journal, starred review

Indiana Too Good To Miss State Reading List 2018

Indiana Too Good To Miss State Reading List 2018

"Elgantly captures the meaning of Anna Pavlova's extraordinary life...inspiring."--The San Francisco Chronicle

"Captures Pavlova's essence beautifully."-Booklist

"A masterpiece."--How Does She?

"The words feel like a poem, and the artwork is outstanding. It is a seriously beautiful book."--Design Mom

"Elgantly captures the meaning of Anna Pavlova's extraordinary life...inspiring."--The San Francisco Chronicle

"A masterpiece."--How Does She?

"The words feel like a poem, and the artwork is outstanding. It is a seriously beautiful book."--Design Mom

"Exquisite."-The Horn Book Magazine

"An enchanting glimpse of a dancer whose name has come to be synonymous with her most famous role."--School Library Journal, starred review

"A masterpiece."--How Does She?

"Captures Pavlova's essence beautifully."-Booklist

"As graceful in both visual and written line as the dancer it portrays, it is unrelenting in its depiction of work, inspiration and generosity."--Esme Codell, The Planet Esme Plan

"As graceful in both visual and written line as the dancer it portrays, it is unrelenting in its depiction of work, inspiration and generosity."--Esme Codell, The Planet Esme Plan

" With beautiful, graceful illustrations and poetic text, this book captures the spirit and charm of one of history's prima ballerinas."--Parents Press

Indiana Too Good To Miss State Reading List 2018

"Young ballet lovers will be smitten with the story."--Kirkus Reviews

"A tender, delicate recounting."-Publishers Weekly

" With beautiful, graceful illustrations and poetic text, this book captures the spirit and charm of one of history's prima ballerinas."--Parents Press

" With beautiful, graceful illustrations and poetic text, this book captures the spirit and charm of one of history's prima ballerinas."--Parents Press

Cool Mom Picks' 10 Most Empowering Books for Girls

"Exquisite."-The Horn Book Magazine

"Exquisite."-The Horn Book Magazine

"Young ballet lovers will be smitten with the story."--Kirkus Reviews

"Young ballet lovers will be smitten with the story."--Kirkus Reviews

"The words feel like a poem, and the artwork is outstanding. It is a seriously beautiful book."--Design Mom

Cool Mom Picks' 10 Most Empowering Books for Girls

"Captures Pavlova's essence beautifully."-Booklist

"A tender, delicate recounting."-Publishers Weekly

"An enchanting glimpse of a dancer whose name has come to be synonymous with her most famous role."--School Library Journal, starred review

"As graceful in both visual and written line as the dancer it portrays, it is unrelenting in its depiction of work, inspiration and generosity."--Esme Codell, The Planet Esme Plan