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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. At last her dream of dancing has come true.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
May 27, 2020 -
Formats
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781534430624
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 2.6
- Lexile® Measure: 520
- Interest Level: K-3(LG)
- Text Difficulty: 0-2
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Reviews
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Starred review from April 1, 2020
A girl who uses a motorized wheelchair longs to dance. The 10-year-old narrator can't blow out the candles on her birthday cake, but she has one wish: to dance. But how can she "swirl, leap, twirl" when she can move only her head, arms, and fingers? Pretending isn't enough. At breakfast one morning (a spill-proof cup at the child's place adds cozy realism), one of her moms reads that the real-life company Young Dance is auditioning dancers of "all abilities, all ages." Though apprehensive, she needs to try. 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. The text itself dances across the page, lines tiptoeing phrase by phrase and echoing the shapes of dancers' movements. Swaney's simply drawn dancers are rosy-cheeked and cheerful; magic shimmers from their fingers, proudly joining them "[a]s one, / as us." An author's note explains that Eva is based on a real dancer; a note from Young Dance's executive director describes the company. Eva presents as a child of color and wears glasses; her moms present white. A gorgeous, immersive celebration of dancing and the grace within all bodies. (Picture book. 6-10)COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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