With minimal text and muted pastel watercolors, this book chronicles the collaboration between Martha Graham, Aaron Copland, and Isamu Noguchi to create the ballet Appalachian Spring. This famous work of art, perhaps not well known to many students, is an inspiring and culturally relevant depiction of pioneer life in America. Biographical Information, Notes and Source Notes.

A nice account of a truly American collaboration between Graham, Copland and Noguchi. The illustrations and text are informative without being overwhelming and the author's notes provide more background for the curious. Also, there are extensive endnotes and a bibliography. My 9-year-old & I enjoyed its clarity and specifics, but it was especially nice after reading this book to watch video on Youtube of part of the performance and to listen to Copland's orchestration of the score. I'll ask a local choreographer about her take on it. ( )

A nice account of a truly American collaboration between Graham, Copland and Noguchi. The illustrations and text are informative without being overwhelming and the author's notes provide more background for the curious. Also, there are extensive endnotes and a bibliography. My 9-year-old & I enjoyed its clarity and specifics, but it was especially nice after reading this book to watch video on Youtube of part of the performance and to listen to Copland's orchestration of the score. I'll ask a local choreographer about her take on it. ( )

Critique:
It is a thick children book but a good biography book. It illustrates how the great work, Appalachian Spring, was created and conveys its meaning to the readers through the thoughts of characters in the book. The performance of ballet dancers is so impressive because it symbolizes the vitality of American people at that time. It is not simply a book about the three significant people making efforts in this brilliant work but also a book making the readers feel the spirits of people in that period.
Age Appropriate:
Primary school Ss ( )

The book is suitable for older kids, as there are some unfamiliar words present the movement in ballet. the book talked about the ballet that created by Martha and other collaborating artists. The book uses beautiful language depict the elegant movement in ballet. Metaphors were used. The illustrations in the book were also good enough to present the scene on the ballet stage. The whole detailed creation of the ballet was told in the story. The story was written based on the fact, so it is a biography of Martha's completion of the ballet. The book can be used in history class, social study class, and literature class. ( )