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a wonderful story of how Degas (the famous artist) and Marie (a wonderful dancer) started to work together to make some of Degas's most famous pieces of art
12 books

This story is about a little girl who dreams of nothing more than to be a ballerina. When her parents can no longer afford her tuition, Edgar Degas steps up and pays her to model for him. Eventually, she is forced to drop out of ballet school, but not before she becomes attached to the mean spirited artist.

I have always loved Edgar Degas and he is one of my favorite artists.

1. Children can be asked why the girl becomes attached to Degas and why she treats him better than he treats her.
2. Older children can be asked what activities they love and what their parents may do to help them be a part of those activities.

I love this book because it gives readers a story behind the art. Degas' Little Dancer was just at NOMA and I had some older students perform at the opening. All of the younger students were encouraged to come so I read them this book to get them excited, it was perfect. Although this book is targeted towards a more female audience, it is great for the whole class because it covers the historical reference of art and an artist, and gives students the story behind it. Rarely do you see a work of art and know exactly what it is about. ( )

Degas and the Little Dancer is about how Degas found the ballerina in all of his paintings. A young ballerina was a model for a dancing school and Degas was the artist one day, and ever since that day she has posed for Degas in all his paintings.