The Illinois School Library Media Association Presents

Dancing in the Wings

Read About the Book

Allen, Debbie. Dancing in the Wings; illus. by Kadir Nelson. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2000.

Sassy tries out for a summer dance festival in Washington, D.C., despite the other girls' taunts that she is much too tall and her feet are too big.

1 v. (unpaged): col. ill. ; 28 cm. ISBN: 0803725019; 0-14-250141-7 (PBK) Puffin Books; LCCN: 99-462181. Picture Book: Dewey [E] / RL: 2.8 (Follett), 3.5 (AR).

Read Aloud, Read Along

For Teachers and Librarians

This inspiring book will do well as a read-aloud. Family humor, competition and school-girl cliquishness add reality to the story of a talented young girl trying to find her own way in the world. The illustrations are big, beautiful and filled with emotion. Children will identify with the intrepid Sassy and will cheer her success.

PAIR WITH

Allen, Debbie. BROTHERS OF THE KNIGHT; illlus. by Kadir Nelson. Puffin Books, 1999, 2001.
Hoffman, Mary. AMAZING GRACE. Dial, 1991.
Isadora, Rachel. MAX. Collier, 1984, 1976.
Marshall, James. SWINE LAKE; illus by Maurice Sendak. Harper, 1999.
Shortt, Tim. THE BABE RUTH BALLET SCHOOL. Firefly Books, 1996.

Max finds a new way to warm up for his Saturday baseball game--his sister's dancing class.

A hungry wolf attends a performance of Swine Lake, performed by the Boarshoi Ballet, intending to eat the performers, but he is so entranced by the story unfolding on the stage that he forgets about his meal.

Read About the Author & Illustrator

Debbie Allen (Biographical Sketch)

Debbie Allen is a talented actor, director, producer, choreographer and author. She has worked in television since the 1970s.

Kadir Nelson (Biographical Sketch)

Kadir Nelson (Interview)

Kadir Nelson (Review)

American artist and illustrator Kadir Nelson has collaborated with other authors on a series of picture books. Read Deloris and Roslyn Jordan's SALT IN HIS SHOES and Will Smith's JUST THE TWO OF US. Mr. Nelson won a NAACP image award for his illustrations on the Will Smith book.

Allen, Debbie. BROTHERS OF THE KNIGHT; illlus. by Kadir Nelson. Puffin Books, 1999, 2001.

In this contemporary retelling of the fairy tale "Twelve Dancing Princesses, "an African-American reverend in Harlem endeavors to discover why the shoes of his twelve sons are worn to pieces every morning.

Read Alone

For Students

Read more about the remarkably talented author and illustrator of this book. You will not be disappointed.
Write a short summary of their accomplishments and present it to your class.
Read other books illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Compare the illustrations. What is alike and what is different about them? Talk to another student about what you discovered. Record your discussion.
Discover information about famous ballets and ballet dancers.
- BALLERINAS and BALLET DANCERS: Maria Tallchief, Anna Pavlova, Margot Fonteyn, Evelyn Cisneros, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev
- BALLETS: Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker Ballet, Romeo and Juliet, Firebird, The Rite of Spring, Billy the Kid, Appalachian Spring