The true story of a professional dancer with a limb difference.
The true story of a professional dancer with a limb difference.Reviewed by: Mila Vincent, Johannah Luza, and Nancy Churnan.
Our eight-year-old book critic, Mila Vincent, loves to dance. It is no wonder that the new book She Loves to Dance enthralls her. This lovely book tells the true story of a dancer who persevered to achieve her dreams. Mila and her grandmother and co-reviewer, Johannah, think you’ll love this inspiring story, too!
She Kept Dancing
The true story of a professional dancer with a limb difference.
Written by Sydney Mesher and Catherine Laudone | Illustrated by Natelle Quek
Ages 4-8.
Mila: I like to dance and wanted to read this story about a little girl who also enjoyed dancing. But there was something different about her. Sydney was born with only one hand instead of two. That didn’t matter to her. She danced and leaped all over the house.
Her mama enrolled her in dance lessons. Sydney was so excited, but the first day didn’t end well. The other kids just stared at her and whispered. Sydney didn’t know why and was very sad. Her mama told her the other kids had probably never seen anyone without a hand. Sydney was still unhappy but loved dancing so much that she returned to her dance lessons. And every day, the other kids saw how well she danced and realized it didn’t matter that she was different. They became friends with Sydney.
Then she went to kindergarten, and the same thing happened. But Sydney kept going to school and made friends. Sometimes, there were still some bullies, but Sydney never gave up on anything, including her dancing. She had courage and was determined to be a professional dancer. When you read this book, you’ll discover how much courage she had!
Johannah: I love reading this book to Mila and her sister. It presents the inclusiveness of all kinds of people, which is essential for young children. This real-life story shows the courage of one young girl who never gave up. It is a timely lesson for all children.
It is beautifully illustrated and written in a fun and engaging way. The story will keep the readers’ and their children’s attention for more than one read.
Click here to learn more about Sydney Mesher and her accomplishments.
