4.0

Age: Preschool-2nd grade
Art: Ballet
History: 1950s, pre Civil Rights

Kristy Dempsey's background as a poet shines through in this hope-filled book about a young black girl with dreams of being a ballerina. Although the narrator is not the first African American hired to perform with the Metropolitan Opera (Janet Collins), she sees her first performance and is inspired by Collins. What at times may seem saccharine ("All my hoping wells up and spills over, dripping all my dreams onto my Sunday dress") is beautifully executed for the younger crowd.