Degas and the Little Dancer

These slim historical fiction books offer a glimpse into the lives of famous artists and real children who knew them. The story is told from the perspective of the child. In Degas and the Little Dancer, Marie is a ballet student from a very poor family. She dreams of being the most famous dancer in the world, but her father becomes ill and they no longer have enough money to pay for Marie's lessons. Degas, an ill-tempered artist who comes to the studio to draw the dancers, just might be able to help Marie. The books are fully illustrated, featuring beautiful illustrations to accompany the stories. Each one also includes a few reproductions of the artist's work as well as an informational page about the artist at the end of the book. Slightly oversized, approx. 32 pgs, pb. - Melissa