Angelina Ballerina
Angelina Ballerina is a fictional mouse, created by author Katharine Holabird and illustrator Helen Craig, who features in a popular series of children's books. The first book in the series was published in 1982, and there have since been over twenty books in the series.
In 2002, an animated TV series based on the books was produced by HIT Entertainment in the United Kingdom. The series featured actress Finty Williams as the voice of Angelina, and her mother Judi Dench as Miss Lily. The series aired on PBS in the United States and can currently be seen on Nick Jr. and PBS Kids Sprout.
English National Ballet will be taking a live version of Angelina Ballerina called Angelina's Star Performance on tour in autumn 2007. It is a fairly short ballet aimed at children.
Notable characters
- Angelina Mouseling is a little mouse with big dreams of becoming a famous ballerina who loves to dance.
- William Longtail is always trying to impress Angelina but finds it very hard. He is very fond of Angelina and he is often fallen in love face to face with her though he is happy when Alice or some friend like that is around.
- Alice Nimbletoes is Angelina's close friend and the best at gymnastics. She belongs to the family of Nimbletoes and may be one of the best dancers in Mrs Lily's ballet class.
- Priscilla and Penelope Pinkpaws are the nasty twins who don't care about how upset or angry Angelina is. They just laugh, except for when they talk with their family or Miss Lily.
- Sammy Watts another older bad mouse in Angelina's school, often upsetting William or Angelina.
- Mr Mouseling is Angelina's father and anchor and possibly the ambassador and proprietor of the Mouseland Gazette.
- Mrs Mouseling is Angelina's mother and a great cook. She is often found in the kitchen baking cheese pie.
- Miss Lily is Angelina's Ballet teacher and teaches little mouslings how to dance, leap and hop and twirl around. She is best friends with Seraphina, the Queen of Mouseland, whom she has known since they were both children.
- Grandma and Grandpa are two of Angelina's favourite and loving grandparents who give advice for anything in the world to help their beloved granddaughter.
- Doctor Tuttle is Chipping Cheddar's local Doctor.
- Henry is Angelina's little cousin who will just sometimes be tagging along. His father is Uncle Louie a handyman workman, and businessman.
- Mrs Hodgepodge is Angelina's bad-tempered crabby next door neighbour who is always grumpy and keeps her secrets to herself and very wise of her privacy.
- Polly is Angelina's new baby sister, despite being new to the world, she is often blamed by Angelina for winding her up.
- Mr Operatski is also bad-tempered. He hates little mouslings and friends with Miss Lily. In one episode, Angelina thinks they are going to get married. He has a moustache and a medium-pitched Russian accent.
Books in the series
- Angelina Ballerina (1983)
- Angelina and the Princess (1984)
- Angelina's Christmas (1985)
- Angelina at the Fair (1985)
- Angelina on Stage (1986)
- Angelina and Alice (1987)
- Angelina's Birthday Surprise (1989)
- Angelina's Baby Sister (1991)
- Angelina Ice Skates (1993)
- Angelina's Halloween (2000)
- Angelina and the Butterfly (2001)
- Angelina's Birthday (2001)
- Angelina's Ballet Class (2001)
- Angelina and Henry (2002)
- Angelina Loves (2002)
- Angelina and the Rag Doll (2002)
- Angelina Ballerina's Invitation to the Ballet (2003)
- Angelina, Star of the Show (2004)
- Angelina's Silver Locket (2004)
- Angelina at the Palace (2005)
- A Dance of Friendship (2006)
The entire series of Angelina Ballerina books was reissued in the United States on 1 January 2006 by Grosset & Dunlap.