The Firebird

With one reading this book became my four year old's favorite. After fifty readings it still is. The story is short enough for a bedtime story, yet detailed enough to be interesting, and the drawings are colorful and captivating. Each double page has a panoramic of the story on the top 1/2, text below, and a panoramic of the stage ballet on the bottom. My girls (4 and 6) love comparing the dancers to the story characters, noting how the cosumes make the people look like the characters. It's a perfect opportunity to discuss real vs. pretend. For example, they are quick to point out that although the villain is killed the dancer is only pretending to be. The story is obviously meant to be told aloud, although in a few places I find the ryhthm awkward. Overall, it is excellent. My daughters' favorite line is, "And Kostchei the Deathless met Death at last." As expected, the story ends happily. And my daughters are happy to hear it - again, and again, and again....