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Sue Downing Books

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the true story of ballet dancer Anna Pavlova.

Little Anna fell in love with ballet after watching a performance with her mother. At the age of just nine-years-old, she auditioned for the famous Imperial Ballet! But… she was rejected.

The set-back didn’t stop Anna – she auditioned again a year later and was accepted into the company. Although ballet was her passion, it didn’t always come easily to her, and she worked fiercely to become the best.

After her training was complete, she performed across Russia and later formed her own company with which she toured the world. The story of Anna Pavlova, one of the greatest dancers to have ever lived, teaches us that with hard work, our talents can take us wherever we want to go.

This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the star’s life.

How on Earth do you play a bass that’s 3.5 metres tall? How can you play a theremin without touching it? Can you turn a cave’s stalactites into an organ? (Spoiler alert: yes, you can!)

Including a stunning central gatefold that opens out to reveal the family tree of musical instruments, this book is a visual celebration of the huge variety of instruments played across the world, from those you know to those you almost certainly don’t. Grouped into percussion instruments, wind, and string, as well as the weird and wonderful that defy categorization, readers will discover how they are all related to each other in ‘families’, and enjoy exploring the musical family tree as a fold-out poster.

Around the World in 80 Musical Instruments covers traditional instruments from various cultures, such as the gamelan and mbira, as well as the creations of modern artists and musicians, such as the Wintergatan Marble Machine and the eerie-sounding yaybahar. Readers will even discover a band that plays exclusively on instruments fashioned from fresh vegetables, and makes the offcuts into soup to serve to the audience!

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