Product Description

Marie van Goethem, a fourteen-year-old ballet dancer in the famed Paris Opra, has led a life of hardship and poverty. For her, dancing is the only joy to counter the pain inflicted by hunger, her mother's drinking, and her selfish older sister. But when famed artist Edgar Degas demands Marie's presence in his studio, it appears that her life will be transformed: He will pay her to pose for a new sculpture, and he promises to make her a star. As Marie patiently stands before Mr. Degas each week, she dreams about supporting her family without being corrupted like most young dancers. She dreams about a life as a ballerina on the stage of the Opra. And she dreams about being with her true love. In this deeply moving, historically based account, Carolyn Meyer examines the life of the model for Edgar Degas's most famous sculpture, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. Includes an author's note.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #775518 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-12
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .88" h x 5.82" w x 8.38" l, .87 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 272 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 6-8–This is a fictionalized account of the inspiration for Degas's famous statue, The Little Dancer. Young Marie van Goethem and her two sisters are students at the Paris Opera Ballet. Their mother envisions this as their only hope to get out of their destitute life. The oldest sister, Antoinette, is soon being wined and dined by wealthy men who often pursue the young dancers. Marie, the responsible one, is trying to deal with her mother's alcoholism and care for her younger sister, Charlotte. When Degas chooses Marie to pose for his sculpture both in the nude and costumed, the extra money is only a temporary solution. Eventually Antoinette and Marie are dismissed from the Paris Opera for failing to adhere to the strict rules. Charlotte continues and, with Marie's support, succeeds. Marie finds contentment as she marries and finds joy in her younger sister's success. This is a fairly realistic look at the difficult lives of poor French girls who had few ways to escape their poverty and often discovered that the pursuit of their dreams was fraught with dangerous choices and obstacles. The introduction of Degas and Mary Cassatt enriches the historical interest of this well-written story. Marie's determination and resilience make her an appealing character, and her willingness to try to keep her family intact and support them through their difficulties is believable and admirable.–Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA
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From Booklist
Gr. 6-9. In this historical novel, readers meet a character humbler than the noblewomen of Meyer's Young Royals series but iconic in her own way: the dancer who modeled for Degas' statuette Little Dancer--14 Years Old. Building on facts known about Marie van Goethem, Meyer imagines Marie as the most levelheaded of three sisters, Paris Opera dancers all. Marie vows never to sink to courtesanship, as her frivolous elder sister does, nor to abuse absinthe like her mother. By the time the sculpture is unveiled, four years after she models for Degas, her innocent dreams of stardom have been compromised by family obligations. Readers drawn to historical fiction for lavish, romantic costume drama more than gritty realism may find the story a bit harsh, but the novel scrupulously adheres to the "truth is beauty" philosophy that inspired Degas to sculpt a gangly, somber dancer and call it art. Phrases in French are smoothly integrated, and an author's note separates fact from fiction. A photo of the sculpture appears on the back of the jacket. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"As with her Young Royals series, Meyer's ability to sweep readers to another time and place while bringing historic figures to life once again results in a mesmerizing novel. . . . Heart-wrenching and enlightening, this gritty story celebrates artistic accomplishment even as it reveals the human suffering often required to achieve it." (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

"This is a fictionalized recounting of the life of the 14-year-old girl who was the model for Edgar Degas' sculpture Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. The book explores the life of Marie van Goethem and her poor Parisian family. This is a touching and beautifully written story that all dancers will treasure." (Book Sense Janet Bibeau, Storybook Cove, Hanover, MA )