Tiny Dancer

Description

A teenage ballet dancer struggles to find her next step, and her place in the world, in this exquisite graphic memoir-a follow-up to the Sibert Honor-winning To Dance. All her life, Siena has dreamed of being a ballerina. Her love of movement and dedication to the craft earned her a spot at the School of American Ballet, with hopes of becoming a member of George Balanchine's world-famous New York City Ballet company. Siena has worked hard for many years to be a professional ballet dancer, but injury and doubt are starting to take their toll. Maybe it's time to look beyond the world of dance-but Siena's whole identity has been shaped by ballet. When you have spent your entire life working toward something, how do you figure out what comes next? And how do you figure out who you are without the thing that defined you? This is a moving and beautifully drawn memoir of a dancer struggling to find her next step-and a young woman finding her true footing in the world.

Siena Cherson Siegel is an author and former dancer who trained at the School of American Ballet. To Dance and Tiny Dancer are stories from her life. Mark Siegel is the author and illustrator of several award-winning picture books and graphic novels, including Tiny Dancer, To Dance, Moving House, and Sailor Twain. His latest project is the collaborative graphic novel series 5 Worlds, an epic science fiction story for young readers. In addition to writing and illustrating, Mark is also the founder and creative and editorial director of First Second Books, Macmillan's graphic novel house. The Siegels live in Tarrytown, New York. Visit Mark at MarkSiegelBooks.com.

"Evocative, purple-toned illustrations bring to life both the dynamism of ballet and the fearful images lurking within Siena's head. . . An understated and utterly believable account of a personal and creative journey." -- Kirkus Reviews "Filled with hope and with resilience, Siena shares her story in a way that will encourage others in similar situations to keep on persevering. A well-drawn and well-executed graphic novel perfect for readers who read the first title, have an interest in dance, or want to see someone overcome life's obstacles." -- School Library Connection "Beautiful descriptions of different dancers and performances offer an inside look at the nuances of ballet and work in tandem with the striking black lined and purple shaded illustrations that capture the movement of the dancers. . . A notable addition to graphic novel collections . . ." -- School Library Journal "The husband-and-wife team behind graphic memoir To Dance returns with another rich tale . . . Siegel's digital drawings [add] gravity to Siena's journey, emphasizing dynamism and shifting emotions. Ballet lovers and aspiring and established dancers will particularly appreciate this deep dive into the ballet world, and revel in the faithful renderings of dancers." -- Publishers Weekly