Book For Girls Who Like to Dance

If I had a cupcake for every book I read about baking I would weigh well over 300 lbs.  That is why it was so nice to see a book about dance teams.  While lots of girls love to cook, I know so many that love to dance, and finally a book that touches on the thing they devote their time to.  Of course the author wrote The Cupcake Club first, but I won't hold it against her - or my waistline.

Don't forget to Like One Great Book on Facebook or Twitter to keep up to date on all the books involving the world of dance ... I have to work off that cupcake weight somehow.

Title:       Dance Divas: Showtime!

Author:   Sheryl Berk

Target:    Grades 2-4

Series:     Yes

What this book is about: 
In this first book of the series, four friends are preparing for a dance competition.  While they may bicker among themselves, they are committed to putting their best foot forward on the dance floor.  Turns out the competition is heating up when an old rival of their dance teacher Miss Toni turns up with her City Feet Dance troupe and challenges the girls of Dance Divas.  Will the rivalry between the teacher cause everyone to behave badly, or can the girls compete fair and square?

Why I love this book:  
My daughter has always enjoyed The Cupcake Club series, so I was very excited to see that Sheryl Berk had come out with a series that touches on the world of dance competitions.  I know quite a few young ladies who will find these books particularly relevant (none of them being my daughter who prefers cleats to ballet shoes.)   While I can’t vouch for the authenticity of the dance competition sequences, it felt real to me. Berk does a solid job of writing an engaging story.  

While the series is a bit formulaic, the writing is strong enough that it will appeal to girls who are starting on “real” chapter books.  In fact, they will probably thrive on the predictability.  With an African American and Asian character, Berk nicely expands the visual diversity of the series and in the next installment we get to see boys dancing! (again not my boys, unless it involved playing video games simultaneously)

Who this book is for: 
Girls who participate in dance competitions will particularly enjoy this series.  However, ultimately it is a book about friendship, so girls who enjoy those books will like this new offering.

Final thoughts: 
No the author is not Cheryl Burke from Dancing With the Stars.

To purchase this book:
Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Dance Divas: Showtime!  A portion of each purchase goes to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you so much for your support.