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With depth and understanding, acclaimed diva Leontyne Price retells this famous opera about the beautiful princess of Ethiopia. “The Dillons magnificently capture the drama with powerful full-page illustrations that resemble stage sets. . . . Ideal for reading aloud during an Egyptian unit, in music classes, to children attending the opera, or for the pure aesthetic experience.”--Booklist
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Gulliver Books; 1st edition (October 22, 1990)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 015200405X
ISBN-13: 978-0152004057
Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #225,650 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #17 in Books > Children's Books > Arts, Music & Photography > Music > Classical #21868 in Books > Arts & Photography
I bought this BEAUTIFULLY illustrated book a long time ago at a second hand book store (as an art nerd impulse buy), but never read it.So last night my six year old daughter fished it out of her tub o' books for some bedtime reading, and we nestled up and gave it a go.We both LOVED this book! Neither of us was familiar with this African fable of love, dueling princesses, and divided loyalties, but the telling of the tale by Leontyne Price was so brisk and emotional that it made the book a real page-turner. We were repeatedly pushed and pulled along by the narrative which we found alternately sad, inspiring, and frightening.The hardworking illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon contributed to the book's excellent design, making it perfect for reading with a child. Each spread has a complete scene and story beat in prose on the left page, with a 3 part hieroglyphic style comic that summarizes that page's narrative. A lush painting of the scene's most important moment dominates the right page of each spread. This design lead us along as we read through each scene and discussed the illustrations and how they enhance the story.The highly stylized art, which is part Gustav Klimt and part Ernie Barnes, features costumes and character designs that feel real and mythical at the same time. The Egyptian and Ethiopian royals, soldiers and citizens are rendered with an authentic African dignity and glory.The story is told in simple, poetic language that doesn't talk down to the audience, but did not leave my daughter behind. Again, looking at and discussing the illustrations gave us time to clarify the story (and obsess about what might happen next).
AIDA
