Aida
A handsome 11 1/4" x 10 1/4" volume combines an internationally respected African-American opera star's retelling of the opera narrative which, she states, has given her "great inspiration onstage and off." In a storyteller's note at the end of the book, Ms. Price cites the qualities she admires in the Ethiopian Princess who "was my best friend operatically and was a natural for me because my skin was my costume." These qualities include Aida's "deep devotion and love for her country and people - her nobility, strength and courage..." They are expressed in the Dillons' rich colors, dramatic costumings of characters, inventive stagings of action and multiple uses of ancient Egyptian images. The tragic enslavement central to the opera is not romanticized, although the story contains romantic elements. Traditional typography combined with the elegance of contemporary book design and production complement the Dillons' contemporary illustrative style. ©1990 Cooperative Children's Book Center
Illustrated by Leo Dillon, Diane Dillon
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 7-14
Age Range:
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
Ethiopians and Ethiopian Americans
Music and Musicians
Slavery
Diversity subject:
Black/African
Publisher:
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
Publish Year: 1990
Pages: 32
ISBN: 015200405X
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 782 Price