David McAllister (text), Gabriela Týlešová (illus.), The Sleeping Beauty, Little Hare/Hardie Grant Egmont, 1 Nov 2017, 40pp., $29.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760129934
A beautifully produced large-format hardback in which the story of The Sleeping Beauty is recounted by David McAllister, former Principal Artist with, and now Artistic Director of, the Australian Ballet. A small part of the story is related on each double-page spread in an engaging narrative style, perfect for this well-known fairy tale. The illustrations by Gabriela Týlešová, the designer of McAllister’s production of the ballet, are in subdued but appealing colours and highlight the key elements of each scene. Her figures, depicted in the ballet’s costumes, are superbly drawn and capture the elegance of the dancers. Details such as the design of bookplate and concluding words ‘The End’ combined with two magnificent photographs from the production, make this a well-priced gift for young balletomanes. Suitable for ages 4-10.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Douglas
