Richie's Picks: Great Books for Children and Young Adults

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"In performances, during the scenes when we weren't dancing on stage, a lot of the other girls liked to stay in the dressing room, where they played jacks and had fun.
"But I went up by myself to watch.
"You had to stand in the very front part of the wing against the black curtain. It was VERY important the audience didn't see you.
"I loved to watch from the wings..."
"Every time I went up there, I saw Mister B. in the other wing across from me.
"He always watched from the front wing stage right"

In thinking about TO DANCE: A BALLERINA'S GRAPHIC NOVEL, I somehow recalled a children's biography from back in my bookstore days. This was the late 90's, and the subject of the biography was one of those female American teen ice skating sensations. It wasn't too long a book, and it had sufficient information and plenty of photos, but there was no real feeling to it. It was the last thing I'd have recommended, particularly to young guy readers.

In contrast, TO DANCE: A BALLERINA'S GRAPHIC NOVEL has so much heart that I was riveted by the author's memoir of her childhood and adolescence spent in the ballet. And what provides the book's heart and intimacy are the inspired illustrations in graphic format by Mark Siegel.

In the illustrations for the piece of the story that I quote (at top) we see Siena, from her hiding spot in the darkness of the wings, watching the scene being danced and watching her beloved teacher Mr. B. (George Balanchine, who'd emigrated from Russia and had founded the School of American Ballet.) There is no way for an author to put into words the way that the illustrations show Siena gazing at the teacher who is clearly a father figure to her.

"Mister Balanchine choreographed many ballets with parts for children.
"That day we found out who had been cast in this ballet.
"And all of the children were from the school.
"I looked down the list and there was my name!
"Not everyone was selected."

Similarly, with this section, there is an illustration of Siena cheering ecstatically about finding her name amongst the cast followed by another of her solemnly observing a devastated classmate. Such illustrations inject so much emotion into this true story of a girl's dedication to and love for dance.

TO DANCE: A BALLERINA'S GRAPHIC NOVEL was added to many library collections after it won a Robert F. Sibert Honor as one of the best children's informational books of last year. But it needs to be pulled off of the shelf and read and booktalked, for this is an exceptional read for students -- girls and guys, dancers or not -- up through middle school.

Richie Partington, MLIS
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