Books: On Pointe

[Dance_Scholar_London]

I discovered this book on Amazon. It has been released in September 2004. Has anybody read it? Is it similar to the Janice Barringer Pointe book?

[mom1]

My daughter read this book. I am not familiar with the other book you reference. On Pointe is a fictional story of a young girl trying to earn a spot with the "City Ballet". My 12 year old daughter enjoyed it very much.

[Dance_Scholar_London]

Thanks for that. It actually came up when I was searching for Barringers pointe book on Amazon and I thought it would be a similar book on pointe technique. Good to know that it is fiction

[Banana Feet]

I read it and it was pretty good. Yes, it is fiction and it's written in sort of a poetic format. It's about a girl who is trying to get into a ballet company and sort of expresses the struggles/difficulty of having a ballet profession along with how much someone can love something. It's mirrored off of the author's life.

[msd]

I got it for my 11 y.o. for a Christmas gift...but read it first. The jacket says it's recommended for 8 - 12 year olds, but I really don't think an 8 would hang with it. It is a novel in free verse; the main character's crisis is that she doesn't get chosen for the "company", and then there are family crises as well.

 

I liked it for the older "tweens" and teenagers because it's good for them to see that books can be written in a variety of forms, as well as how one (fictional) character handles her change in plans/identity of herself. There's also a good subplot regarding her mother and her involvement (overinvolvement??) with her dd's dance "career".

 

All in all an interesting book, especially in the free verse style.

 

msd

[kellyisthebestintheworld]

I love that book!!!!! I read it a while ago, now my sister is reading it. I love it, even though it's sad... I like the part where they first put on their pointe shoes, it has it all on the back!

[Guest Adrienne]

Oh, I'd read about that book somewhere (I think in an article about verse novels for YAs), but I couldn't remember the title or the author. Thanks for bringing it up; I'll have to track it down.

[Dance_Scholar_London]

I still did not order it as I have a pile of new dance literature in front of me that I have to read but I would be glad to hear if you enjoy that book.

[Guest Iwishtobeonpoint]

I read when I was younger, it came out a few years ago, but if anyone finds it is a good book to read.

[Clara 76]

Who is the author?

[minty]

The author of On Pointe is Lorie Ann Grover ;

The book is not really a novel, because it is written in free style poetry, but enjoyable none the less

[Clara 76]

Merci, Minty!

[Guest Iwishtobeonpoint]

My mom went to collage with Ms. Grover. i met her before, and boy is she tall.

[tillie]

I actually saw the book somewhere and was debating whether or not to read it. I think i will now!

[ABT Wannabe]

I agree...I really liked this book and I think it had a good point to it. I recommend it! :-)