Little SAP and Monsieur Rodin

With two Cambodian-born children, this book is a treasured addition to our library. Beautifully told and illustrated, its graceful imagery draws children into the story, and with the muliple readings demanded soon has them practicing the hand poses and dreaming of dance. My kids will be reading this for years, and I now give this as a gift for all new baby girls ... and Khmer boys, as well.

Little Sap And Monsieur Rodin combines Michelle Lord's engaging text with impressive illustrations by Felicia Hoshino to tell the remarkable story of a young woman who in the year 1906 was a member of the dance troupe from the Royal Palace in Cambodia when they all made a trip to the beautiful city of Paris. Carrying young readers through Little Sap's encounter with the famous French artist, Augustine Rodin, Little Sap And Monsieur Rodin follows the painter and sculptor's interest with the classic beauty of Cambodian dance in general, and the dancing girl Little Sap in particular. A beautifully presented picturebook story, Little Sap And Monsieur Rodin will delight young readers and prove a popular addition to school and/or community library picturebook collections.

Young girls especially will be able to identify with Little Sap as she starts her first dance class, all awkward and clumsy compared with the more experienced girls in the room. But as Little Sap grows more comfortable dancing, the reader grows more comfortable in the world of early 20th century Cambodia. And then the reader feels the same thrill Little Sap does when her dance group boards a huge ocean liner -- bringing along costumes, props, and even elephants! -- and sails for France. The story is like a magical time machine that sends us back to a time when the world was much larger than it is today and foreign cultures were much more exotic. Cambodia of a century ago was a very artistic society, and the illustrations are superb in communicating the details of the clothing, dance, music, and architecture of the period. Together, the words and pictures convey a genuine sense of being there and sharing in the experiences of Little Sap.

A truly delightful childrens book about a young cambodian girl who leaves her family and her village to become a dancer for the princess's royal dance troupe so that her family can have a better life. Along the way, she learns hard work and self worth. I found this to be an inspiring and touching story with a unique cultural angle not normally seen in childrens books. The bright and colorful drawings bring the story to life. I highly recommend this book! An exceptional book from a first time author that I hope publishes many more in the years to come.

I found this book delightful and culturally significant, as it's the first children's book I've seen to weave its story around Cambodian culture. A wonderful message of hope and commitment, I plan to donate copies of this book to our local libraries. It's the sweet story of a girl from a poor rice farming family who steps out of her little world to become a court dancer at the Royal Palace in Cambodia. With rigorous training and the special opportunity to perform with her troupe in Paris, she ultimately sees herself transformed from a simple country girl to a graceful dancer through the drawings of the famous French artist Monsieur Rodin. The book's illustrations beautifully bring the book to life. Enjoy!