{"product_id":"the-polar-bear-and-the-ballerina-isbn-9780823449187","title":"The Polar Bear and the Ballerina","description":"\u003cb\u003eHow does a bear go to the ballet? A polar bear escapes into New York City in this heartfelt picture book from award-winning Afro-Latino artist Eric Velasquez.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA wordless story of unlikely friendship that celebrates art and its ability to connect us. However, this picture book also opens a conversation about alienation and empathy. Who is kept out of the theater? How can we welcome them in? A deeply personal story, author Eric Valqueuez sees himself in this tale.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen dancers have a photoshoot at the Central Park Zoo, a young, African American ballerina and a polar bear form a special friendship. When his new friend leaves her scarf behind, the polar bear must venture through Central Park and out into Manhattan to return it before her performance at the Lincoln Center.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHowever, the theater goers eye the strange bear with suspicion. When the ushers won’t let him inside, the ballerina comes to his rescue and welcomes him in. The polar bear has dreamed of seeing the ballet, and now he gets to be a part of it in the most surprising way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe wordless narrative is told through expressive and detailed oil paintings. On the endpapers, readers learn more about these loveable characters with illustrations of zoo signage about polar bears and a magazine article about the young ballerina.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEric Velasquez, author-illustrator of Bank Street Best Book of the Year \u003ci\u003eOctopus Stew\u003c\/i\u003e, brings a dream-like magic to this tale of empathy and kindred spirits.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA CSMCL Best Multicultural Children’s Book of the Year\u003c\/b\u003eA lushly rendered wordless picture book from Velasquez (Outspoken). . . . Thickly stroked art invokes a strong sense of place, employing instantly recognizable landmarks alongside comically melodramatic bystanders.\u003cbr\u003e—Publishers Weekly (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA fantastical testament to the joy of seeing yourself in the art you seek out. . . .The captivating balance that Velasquez strikes between realism and ultra-expressive emotion makes a magical meal of the story. . . . Dreamy.\u003cbr\u003e—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVelasquez skillfully depicts expressive characters, recognizable scenery, and a cohesive dreamy plot with his iconic oil paintings. . . . Both language editions are accessible for readers interested in image-centered picture books. This extraordinary wordless book features expressive illustrations that depict a unique friendship. A great addition to English- and Spanish-language picture book collections.\u003cbr\u003e—School Library Journal (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this heartwarming wordless adventure, Eric Velasquez's oil paintings—which contain only four colors—establish a certain perennial atmosphere. . . . it allows young readers to invent their own details and backstories, andperhaps dream up scenarios involving their own furry friends.\u003cbr\u003e—BookPage (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eConveying meaning and emotion without words is often the realm of the performing arts, but this wordless picture book conveys a beautiful friendship between a young ballerina and a polar bear. . . . A gorgeous, magically realistic tale, much like a ballet itself.\u003cbr\u003e—BooklistEric Velasquez's awards include the John Steptoe \/ Coretta Scott King Award for new talent, a Pura Belpré Award, an NAACP ImageAward, and a Carter G. Woodson Award. For Holiday House, he both wrote and illustrated\u003ci\u003e Looking for Bongo\u003c\/i\u003e, and he illustrated\u003ci\u003e Ol'Clip-Clop: A Ghost Story\u003c\/i\u003e by Patricia C.McKissack (Anne Izard Storyteller's Choice Award Winner, Georgia Children's Book Award, Bank Street Best Children's Book of theYear--Outstanding Merit) and New Shoes by Susan Lynn Meyer (Jane Addams Peace Association Children's Book Award, Bank StreetBest Children's Book of the Year, New York State Reading Association Charlotte Award). The son of Afro-Puerto Rican parents who encouraged music and storytelling, Eric grew up in Spanish Harlem, New York. As a child,he loved superheroes, comics and drawing, much like the boy in \u003ci\u003eOctopus Stew. \u003c\/i\u003eHe teaches illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology and lives in New York","brand":"Holiday House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48233729556709,"sku":"NP9780823449187","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780823449187.jpg?v=1767740996","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-polar-bear-and-the-ballerina-isbn-9780823449187","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}