A Is for Audra: Broadway's Leading Ladies from A to Z

by John Robert Allman, Peter Emmerich (Illustrator)

Overview

Broadway babies, it's never too early to learn about the great women of American musical theater! From Audra McDonald to Liza with a "Z," this is a showstopping alphabet board book featuring your favorite leading ladies of the Broadway stage.

Step into the spotlight and celebrate a cavalcade of Broadway's legendary leading ladies. Start with "A" for six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, then sing and dance your way through the alphabet with beloved entertainers like Carol Channing, Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Lea Salonga, and Liza Minnelli!

With their signature voices and iconic roles, these talented women have created some of the greatest moments in musical theater history. Broadway fans and theater lovers everywhere will give a standing ovation to this one-of-a-kind tribute full of toe-tapping rhymes, with illustrations as bright and beautiful as the shining lights on any marquee.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593377871
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	10/03/2023
Pages:	44
Sales rank:	622,075
Product dimensions:	5.94(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.96(d)
Lexile:	AD1120L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 Months to 3 Years

About the Author

JOHN ROBERT ALLMAN lives in New York City, where is works in television marketing. He is the author of A Is for Audra, B Is for Broadway, J Is for Judy, and three picture books with American Ballet Theatre: Boys Dance!, B Is for Ballet, and The Night Before the Nutcracker. He saw his first Broadway show—Annie Get Your Gun, starring Bernadette Peters—when he was nine. John is a graduate of Northwestern University, NYU's Stern School of Business, and BMI's Musical Theatre Workshop. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @Johnny_Allman.

PETER EMMERICH is the acclaimed illustrator of A Is for Audra, B Is for Broadway, and J Is for Judy. He has worked with DreamWorks and the Walt Disney Company, for which he illustrated the U.S. Postal Service's "Art of Disney" stamp series. He attended his first Broadway musical, Meet Me in St. Louis, while a student in high school. Peter is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology. Follow him on Instagram at @peteremmerich.

Editorial Reviews

"Women of the Broadway theater take center stage in this loving homage. . . . A lively introduction to a whole new cast of heroines."—Kirkus

"This is a book all kids (and many adults) will enjoy as they learn about and fall in love with the theatre."—Playbill.com

"A true necessity for any kid’s bookshelf."—Entertainment Weekly

“A thorough, eye-catching introduction to women of the theater. . . . budding theater lovers will get a thrill.”—Booklist

"Emmerich’s flattering caricatures, paired with [Allman’s] verse, are colorful and slick, bringing Broadway’s drama to the page”—Publishers Weekly

"A sure hit for thespians of all ages."—School Library Journal 

From the Publisher

09/30/2019

This inclusive rhyming abecedarian begins with Audra McDonald and ends with Liza Minnelli. A roster of showstopping women (though Bob Fosse and Stephen Sondheim elbow their way in) and iconic female roles are shouted out in quippy, singsong verse—“ ‘I’s for Idina,/ whose vocals you’ll know/ from Wicked or Rent/ or from ‘letting it go.’ ” The book is really meant for Broadway buffs, with the text offering fawning raves in lieu of contextualizing information (“She’s brilliant and bold and has talent in meters... Ladies and gentlemen, Bernadette Peters!”). Captions identify each performer and role, and Emmerich’s flattering caricatures, paired with each verse, are colorful and slick, bringing Broadway’s drama to the page. An index offers brief career highlights for each individual mentioned. Ages 3–7. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

11/01/2019

K-Gr 4—As in traditional alphabet books, each page features a single letter; beyond that, Allman takes liberties with the format. Some pages highlight one actress; others examine two or more. F is for Fosse, the famed choreographer, but the accompanying illustration includes four actresses, two who have played Velma and Roxie in Chicago. S is for Sutton Foster, tap-dancer extraordinaire, but also for Stephen Sondheim. Some letters correspond to characters such as Dolly (Hello, Dolly) and Rose (Gypsy). In an effort to be inclusive, X is for 32 additional "eXtra-eXceptional" divas. Allman lists the full name of the actress, the musical in which she starred, and the year she performed that role at the bottom of each page. After Liza with a "Z," Allman elaborates with short bios of everyone mentioned, citing additional roles, talents, and awards bestowed. The digitally crafted portrait-style illustrations focus on the women in costume, with bright colors and distinct lines. Occasional background details suggest settings or include props but leave the ladies in the spotlight. VERDICT The simple, rhyming text and cartoon illustrations will entice young readers. Theater aficionados will also get a kick out of this catalogue of leading ladies and the conversations it will inspire. A sure hit for thespians of all ages.—Lynn Van Auken, Oak Bluffs School, MA

School Library Journal

2019-07-28
Women of the Broadway theater take center stage in this loving homage.

Past and present are represented, from Ethel Merman and Pearl Bailey to Kelli O'Hara and Audra McDonald. Several women whose great talent lit up the stage in one special play, such as Aida's Heather Headley and Fela!'s Lilias White, are also given a place in this admiration society. They are introduced in alphabetical order, sometimes using first names, sometimes last names, and sometimes the parts they played. Steven Sondheim is given a nod for the substantive female characters he created, and Bob Fosse for his unique choreography that allowed multitalented displays. Each entry appears as a clever verse in four-line abcb form, honoring the star's talent or highlighting a particular role for which she is most known. The verses are accompanied by Emmerich's digital illustrations, which accurately capture the individuality and facial features of the performers as they joyously play to their audiences. Full names of the women and the titles and dates of the shows they are depicted in appear in very small white print at the bottoms of the pages. A double-page spread of thumbnail portraits includes 32 additional divas. Allman obviously loves these performers and wants young readers to get to know them, but most of these children will probably need an adult who is a Broadway aficionado to guide them and perhaps put some show music on their playlist.

A lively introduction to a whole new cast of heroines. (biographical information) (Informational picture book. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews