My Cat Does Ballet - by Robert Heidbreder (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A boy compares the antics of his ballet cat with those of his friends, and invites them to bring their cats over to join in a Corp de Chat performance. Includes numerous ballet terms as well as information on famous dancers."--

Book Synopsis

A boy shares his love of ballet with his cat in this adorable picture book that leaps and glides through ballet terms, famous dancers, and the special bond between a young dancer and his pet.

Some cats pounce, snooze, or climb up the curtains. But one boy has a pet cat that does ballet, jumping after flies in perfect grands jetés and gliding across floors with smooth glissades. Perhaps they can teach you and your cat to do ballet too! This joyful and hilariously illustrated story is a charming pas de deux for felines and their friends.

Review Quotes

"Using theatrical lighting in a limited palette of blues, oranges, and blacks, and with details etched with a strong graphic line, Schu sets the stage for a dramatic nighttime household performance. Prolific poet-author Heidbreder's fanciful text is enlivened with the classic French terms for ballet moves. . . This friendly feline fantasy will be a fun and informative romp for ballet buffs and cat fanciers alike."

--Booklist

"Heidbreder's simple text intersperses the names of various ballet moves, artfully demonstrated by the puss in question in rose-colored spotlights. Relying on a limited palette, Schu's delightfully whimsical illustrations are cartoonish but realistic, a perfect match for the story. . . A fine, feline-centric introduction to the dance." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Robert Heidbreder was born in Quincy, Illinois, and later moved to Vancouver, BC, where he became an award-winning primary school teacher. Living in Vancouver, he discovered his love of ballet. He attends as many performances as he and his wife can. Their two cats sadly have to stay at home. My Cat Does Ballet is his twenty-first picture book. Visit him at RobertHeidbreder.com.

Matt Schu is the illustrator of Cut!: How Lotte Reiniger and a Pair of Scissors Revolutionized Animation by C.E. Winters and My Cat Does Ballet by Robert Heidbreder. Due to growing up in the Pacific Northwest, he draws a lot of trees, houses, and cloudy skies. He lives with his cat in Portland, Oregon, and she can do an impressive tour en l'air. Visit him at Matt-Schu.com.