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Pigmalion

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Pigmalion
by Glenda Leznoff, illustrated by Rachel Berman

" A standing ovation for Juliet-- a shy piglet en route to becoming a starlet in a George Barnyard Shaw production of Pigmalion.. She is truly a "loverly" creation. Watching her blossom on page and stage is a true delight. Applause for the talented Juliet -- and her equally talented creators." -- Robert San Souci, author of The Talking Eggs and Cinderella Skeleton

K-Gr 2- Juliet loves to sing, act, and tap her little hooves off, but she is so shy that when she is faced with an audience, she can't utter a word. While visiting her grandmother in the country, she tends the garden and, in her spare time, dances the entire ballet of Swine Lake, and memorizes Shakespig's Ham-let and George Barnyard Shaw's Pigmalion. One day, the little pig learns that the great director, Monsieur Phillipe le Cochon, is going to bring Pigmalion to the town theater. She desperately wants to audition for the part of Eliza Piglittle but hides in the balcony watching as piglet after piglet auditions, all of whom display a lack of passion and drama. Then the director hears an enchanting voice reciting the lines from the balcony; Juliet agrees to perform, but not until opening night, and she acts with passion and sparkle. The watercolor illustrations capture her fears as she gazes longingly from the darkened balcony into the large theater and her exuberance when she is on stage. Rehearsing for a play without the main character is highly unlikely, but readers will cheer for the shy Juliet as she conquers her fears and surprises her peers with her hidden talents. Children may not catch all of the puns and literary allusions, but they can appreciate the dramatic tension and the success of an unlikely heroine. -- School Library Journal August 2002

Glenda Leznoff makes "apologies to the great George Bernard Shaw" before using the classic play to tell another pig's story. When the famous French director Monsieur Phillipe Le Cochon, rolls into town, to direct "Pigmalion", Juliet knows this is her big chance. She impresses Cochon at auditions, but hides behind the stage during rehearsals, Cochon has faith in Juliet and she rises to the occasion on opening night, fulfilling the fate of her character, Eliza Piglittle. Her knees shook but all the other pigs cried "Bravo!" when the curtain fell. Piggy illustrations by Rachel Berman. --BC Bookworld, Summer 2002

Pigmalion is the highly entertaining picturebook story by Glenda Leznoff of a shy little piglet named Juliet Hogsworth, who is gifted at singing and dancing but whose timidity of the big and terrible stage threatens to prevent her from achieving her dreams. A story of courage and finding inner strength, Pigmalion is both a comic tale and a lesson in the value of self-confidence. Color illustrations by Rachel Berman in soft and gentle tones fill this engaging, strongly recommended story for young readers. Midwest Book Review

Juliet the piglet knows she is destined for the stage, but there's a problem: she suffers from stage fright. Learning that the daching director, Monsieur Le Cochon, is to direct a production of George barnyard Shaw's "Pigmalion" in her small town, she attends auditions for the role of Eliza Piglittle("Somewhere in zis very rrroom is zee lucky piglet who will be my star,"Le Cochon intones) but she cannot summon the courage to try out. When the auditions are over, she recites Eliza's lines from her hiding place in the balcony and lands the part. In a disturbing twist for a story about facing one's fears, Juliet too shy even to appear at rehearsals, avoids the stage until opening night-when she brings the house down. Newcomer Berman refines screenwriter Leznoff's punchy story line with deft gouaches, placing the tale somewhere in the south of France and dressing Juliet and her friends in Provencal skirts and shawls. Monsieur Le Cochon sports Hollywood-issue sunglasses, a red cape and beret, and Berman has special fun with the lighting in the theatre scenes; they look like Toulouse Lautrecs with pigs. Ages 4-8 -- Publisher's Weekly March 11, 2002
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