Lili on Stage by Rachel Isadora (1995) is for the young ballerina. It begins with a Note to the Reader describing the The Nutcracker. Lili is one of many young children performing in the party scene of this famous ballet. A few sentences on each page complement water color paintings of children back stage. One stretches, one writes in her diary, several play jacks, and one catches up on homework. The reader sees children warming up, rehearsing, and applying makeup. "Suddenly all the rehearsals fade away, and Lili feels as if the party is real." She's on stage performing with the other children and adults. It's exciting. The audience shouts, "Bravo! Bravo!" Lili gets a toe shoe signed by her favorite ballerina. For Lili, it's magic.
