Gloria's promise

Sisters Glasser and Weitzman (You Can't Take a Balloon into the Metropolitan Museum) reteam for this experiential tale, produced in partnership with American Ballet Theatre, of a young dancer determined to be admitted to ABT's summer intensive. Gloria encourages herself internally ("Take a deep breath. You've got this") as she and her mother, both portrayed with pale skin, battle snowy New York City streets and a crowded subway en route to the audition. After signing in among a bevy of children portrayed with varying skin tones, Gloria takes a wrong turn and stumbles onto backstage wonders: a room filled with pointe shoes, dancers at a costume fitting and--breathtakingly--a company rehearsal in progress. A fall tempers Gloria's confident exuberance at the audition, but she soldiers on, demonstrating resilience. Glasser's signature art style exudes Gloria's love for dance, while a series of energetic spot illustrations delineate the slow passage of time as she awaits the important news. Slipping in a vocabulary lesson for "promise" as both potential and vow, the creators render a lively paean to passion and persistence via a sympathetic protagonist who knows that "This is where I want to be." Ages 4--7. (Mar.)

Gloria will need determination to achieve her ballet dreams. On a snowy day in the city, Gloria and her mom (both brown-haired and brown-skinned) are headed somewhere important, leaving extra time because they cannot be late. On the long, slow subway trip, Gloria silently tells herself, "You've got this." Finally they arrive at their destination, the Lawrence A. Wien Center for Dance and Theater. Gloria is there to audition for the ballet school along with many other racially diverse children. Gloria is attentive to everything she sees and hears as she prepares for the audition. A teacher demonstrates the required steps, which Gloria follows carefully, but everything stops when she falls. She tearfully asks to try again and this time performs well. But she is worried about the outcome and waits impatiently for that all-important letter. Fancy Nancy illustrator and former dancer Glasser's lively, detailed artwork allows Gloria's every emotion to come through in her facial expressions and body language and accurately depicts the ballet moves as characters glide, soar, and flow across the pages. Young readers are privy to Gloria's thoughts as they follow her through the entire process and will admire her spirit and root for her all the way. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A delightful, inspiring introduction to the world of dance. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.