Someday Dancer
Publication: August 1, 2012
Pages: 256
Publisher: Chicken House
Buy it: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository
A ballerina tale with a thoroughly modern twist!
Casey Quinn has got more grace in her pinkie toe than all those prissy ballet-school girls put together, even if you’d never guess it from the looks of her too-long legs and dirty high-top sneakers. It’s 1959, and freckle-faced Casey lives in the red-dust countryside of South Carolina. She’s a farm girl: Her family can’t afford ballet lessons. But Casey’s dream is to dance in New York City. And if anyone tries to stand in her way, she’s going to pirouette and jeté right over them!
Casey’s got the grit, and Casey’s got the grace: Is that enough to make it in Manhattan someday? Or might the Big Apple have something even better in mind? When she meets a visionary choreographer she calls “Miss Martha,” Casey’s ballerina dream takes a thoroughly, thrillingly modern twist!
Casey is a natural dancer. Every second of the day, she’s tapping some kind of beat and moving her body to the music. No one but her grandmother believes in her, however. Her mom wants her to come down to earth and pursue a realistic path. The other girls make fun of her love of dance. It is her dream to make it into a big ballet school and show everyone what she knows she can do. When she arrives in New York, her dreams change. She’ll still be a dancer but in a contemporary dance school.
Family and friends is especially important in Casey’s world. Her grandmother is her rock in her little town. Whereas everyone else believes that Casey can’t make it as a dancer, her grandmother is there supporting her and giving her the encouragement that she needs. It is her grandmother who helps Casey’s mom understand how much dance means to Casey. Then there is Andrea, a fellow dancer with whom Casey shares her dreams, fears, and troubles. Without all of these people, Casey wouldn’t be who she is.
The biggest factor in Casey’s success, however, is her dedication to to making her big dreams a reality. It is so easy to fall prey to the reality trap as we grow older and start looking for a stable income that we forget to dream–to think about how to make our dreams a part of our reality. While a stable income is important, it is also just as significant to have dreams–and to have the dedication to pursue these dreams. Casey has just that. She receives a lot of negative criticism each day, and she goes through many obstacles in her path to becoming a dancer. Still, she never gives up and goes on to prove to everyone that she was right to pursue her dreams.
Someday Dancer is an inspiring read about pursuing your dreams and never forgetting who you are. It is about forgiveness, friendship, dreams, and family. I recommend this for upper elementary and tween readers.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. No payment was received in return for a review. The receipt of the book had no influence on the opinions expressed in my review.
Author: Crystal
A story girl at heart, Crystal is a bibliophile who can easily spend the day immersed in a good read. She writes under the name Kristy Wang. You can follow her writing adventures on X and Instagram @_kristywang.
Gaby says
Wow this book sounds like a good read I think I'll give it a shot 🙂
Lili says
So, I'm going to be perfectly honest and say that I've never heard of this book before you posted this review. I've read several inspirational reads lately and I've really enjoyed them, so I think I may give this one a chance!
Crystal says
It does give a good message to readers. Though the voice is more suited for younger readers, older readers can enjoy this just as much 🙂