The Last Dance
Brand: Peachtree Publishers
Categories: Books, Children's Books, Growing Up & Facts of Life



Grade level: 2 - 7
Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.32 x 12.2 inches
Reading age: 8 - 12 years
ISBN-13: 978-1561451098
ISBN-10: 1561451096
Publisher: Peachtree
Print length: 32 pages
Publication date: October 3, 1995
Lexile measure: AD670L
Language: English
subtitle: Hardcover – Picture Book, October 3, 1995
author: Visit Amazon's Carmen Agra Deedy Page search results Carmen Agra Deedy Debrah Santini
review: Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Despite the precious life lessons knit into the story line ("Every human being has a right to three things: to dance... to sing... to tell stories"), Deedy's fluid prose and flair for imagery ("the moon sat full-bellied on the treetops") turns a potentially trite story into a sweet, sentimental one. Childhood sweethearts Ninny and Bessie make a pact that when one of them dies, the other will come to the graveyard and dance on the grave. The story spans a lifetime, from the young couple's early moonlight dances at Ninny's grandfather's grave through marriage, a war and a last anniversary. In the end, Bessie fulfills her promise and saves the last dance for her beloved Ninny. Santini's impressionistic watercolors, rendered in muted shades of rose, smoke blue, and browns, effectively capture the bittersweet mood of the story. A note: although the subject may be more likely to appeal to beginning readers, the text-set in a decorative scriptface-is a visual stumbling block. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal Grade 2-6?Two children promise that if one dies, the other will dance on the departed's grave. In prose laden with imagery, Bessie tells of her friendship with the tailor's son, Ninny, who summons her to join him on nighttime graveyard forays by pelting her window with buttons. Their friendship turns into a long, loving marriage through World War II and beyond. On their anniversary, the elderly couple dance and recall their childhood vow. The final page depicts Bessie dancing barefoot near her beloved's grave. Throughout, readers are reminded that life goes on, and that deceased loved ones are kept alive via memories and stories. Santini's flowing pastel watercolors are cluttered with buttons and blanket-stitched, parchmentlike backgrounds. While the fluid art suits the storyteller's lilting voice, the illustrator nearly overwhelms the pages with ghostly penciled images, movement, and distracting decorations. Best shared in small groups or read individually, this tale has a somber mood underlying the joy and love. Alice Schertle's Maisie (Lothrop, 1995) follows a woman's life without reminding readers that death waits at the end of all life stories.?Susan Hepler, Alexandria City Public Schools, VA Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Gr. 7^-10. In this picture book for older readers, Ninny summons Bessie to dance in the moonlight near grandfather Oppa's grave because "anyplace that Oppa sleeps is a good place." The children grow to adulthood and marry, and Ninny is sent to war. After the Normandy invasion, Bessie waits for word of Ninny. He returns safely, and the two grow old together, dancing, until Bessie's final words: "Any place my Ninny sleeps is a good place." Deedy lovingly lulls readers into the intimacy of the reminiscence, using Bessie's voice to tell what is essentially a family story. Santini's watercolors, sometimes vague, mostly dreamy, enhance the feeling of events recalled through time. Her gravestones look like plump old folks, hands on hips, standing in rosy moonlight. Use this with older readers as a fine example of what family history can be. It's like a full cloth made from the remnants of people's lives, with all the humor, pathos, and drama that's necessary for a very effective, personal sort of storytelling. Janice Del Negro Review "Deedy lovingly lulls readers into the intimacy of the reminiscence. . . Santini's watercolors, sometimes vague, mostly dreamy, enhance the feeling of events recalled through time. . . . Use this with older readers as a fine example of what family history can be. It's like a full cloth made from the remnants of people's lives, with all the humor, pathos, and drama that's necessary for a very effective, personal sort of storytelling." —Booklist From the Back Cover This essential companion offers a convenient way to plan, enjoy and remember your European tirp. Features common phrases in 10 languages, antional flag references, maps photo log, international signs, weights & measures, and travel tips. About the Author Carmen Agra Deedy is a New York Times best-selling author and renowned storyteller. Her books have received numerous awards and honors. Carmen has performed in many prestigious venues, but children are her favorite audience. Born in Havana, Cuba, she came to the United States as a refugee and like most immigrants sees the world from multiple perspectives. She lives in Georgia. Debrah Santini holds an MFA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and is a faculty member of the art department at West Georgia College. The illustrator of several children's books, she lives in Georgia. Read more