The Polar Bear and the Ballerina
How does a bear go to the ballet? A polar bear escapes into New York City in this heartfelt picture book from award-winning Afro-Latino artist Eric Velasquez. A wordless story of unlikely friendship that celebrates art and its ability to connect us. However, this picture book also opens a conversation about alienation and empathy. Who is kept out of the theater? How can we welcome them in? A deeply personal story, author Eric Valqueuez sees himself in this tale. When dancers have a photoshoot at the Central Park Zoo, a young, African American ballerina and a polar bear form a special friendship. When his new friend leaves her scarf behind, the polar bear must venture through Central Park and out into Manhattan to return it before her performance at the Lincoln Center. However, the theater goers eye the strange bear with suspicion. When the ushers won’t let him inside, the ballerina comes to his rescue and welcomes him in. The polar bear has dreamed of seeing the ballet, and now he gets to be a part of it in the most surprising way. The wordless narrative is told through expressive and detailed oil paintings. On the endpapers, readers learn more about these loveable characters with illustrations of zoo signage about polar bears and a magazine article about the young ballerina.
Eric Velasquez
School/Library Visit & Educator Guide Information
My presentation is a multimedia Power Point presentation (30 to 45 minutes) that covers how I became interested in illustration starting as a struggling reader in elementary school to the discovery of comic books, which improved my reading and inspired me to draw. I also talk about my introduction to the field of illustration and the variety of books I have written and illustrated. I also talk about the importance of research and my process for creating a children's book from rough sketches to finished art. My presentations are tailored for each grade some presentations include the music from Grandma's Records, and a live drawing demo, followed by a 10-to-15-minute Q and A. For dual language Spanish speaking students, I also have a bilingual presentation. I'm comfortable with large audiences (full auditoriums) and small audiences (single classrooms and school libraries). I'm also available for Zoom visits. For grades K-4. Please contact me at [email protected]