Queen of the Class (Ann Estelle Stories)

Engelbreit, Mary

ISBN 10: 0060081791 ISBN 13: 9780060081799

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2004

Synopsis

Desperately wanting to the play the part of Queen in the school play, six-year-old Ann Estelle quietly accepts her role as Stage Manager until the night of the big show when everything starts to go wrong and Ann gets her chance to shine bright in the midst of mayhem.

About this title

About the Author:

Mary Engelbreit grew up studying the illustrations in the vintage storybooks of her mother's childhood, and she developed a unique style that harkens back to those simpler times. When Mary began her career, her greeting cards were an instant success, and now her distinctive images have made her a celebrity to millions who eagerly snap up gift items, calendars, books, fabrics, and more.

Mary's dearest wish has always been to illustrate for children. Her edition of the night before christmas positively glows with the sense of wonder, spirited wit, and nostalgic warmth that is her signature around the world. Now, here is the first of a charming series of stories about Mary Engelbreit's irrepressible alter ego, Ann Estelle.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 2–Ann Estelle is hoping for the part of the Queen in the class play. After all, "She already had a long red velvet robe and a glittery golden crown, just in case something like this ever came up." Instead, her teacher makes her the stage manager because she is so "clever and responsible." Ann Estelle pushes aside her disappointment and rescues the actors during the performance as they forget their lines, misplace their props, etc. The writing is stilted, and efforts to provide emphasis by putting certain words or phrases into a fancier font only highlight the stiffness of the rest of the text. Ann Estelle herself is as two dimensional as the paper dolls included at the back of the book, and the relentless brightness of the colors in the artwork is as tedious as the story. For a fresher take on class dramatics, look to Alexander Stadler's Beverly Billingsley Takes a Bow (Harcourt, 2003) or Cari Best's Shrinking Violet (Farrar, 2001).–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
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About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0060081791
• ISBN 13: 9780060081799
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Engelbreit Mary