Like many young girls, Eva longs to dance. But unlike many would-be dancers, Eva has cerebral palsy. She doesn’t know what dance looks like for someone who uses a wheelchair. Then Eva learns of a place that has created a class for dancers of all abilities. Her first movements in the studio are tentative, but with the encouragement of her instructor and fellow students, Eva becomes more confident. Eva knows she’s found a place where she belongs.
This poetic and uplifting picture book illustrated by the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of We Are the Gardeners follows a young girl born with cerebral palsy as she pursues her dream of becoming a dancer.
"At the instructor’s balletic welcome, she 'swirl[s]' her fingers, joining a multiracial circle of dancers. Some dance unaided; some use 'canes and crutches, / walkers and wheels.' One wears a prosthesis. Their dancing is emphatically 'not pretend' — neither imaginary nor relegated to a form of therapy. Eva’s narration brims with elation as together they 'create space, / create shape, / create dance,' culminating in a triumphant performance.... A gorgeous, immersive celebration of dancing and the grace within all bodies." — Kirkus Reviews
Recommended Age | 4 - 8 |
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Author | Nancy Bo Flood |
Illustrator | Julianna Swaney |
ISBN | 153443061X |
Publication Date | May 26, 2020 |
Publisher | Atheneum Books for Young Readers |
Language | English |