Ballet Besties: Indu's Time to Shine

In the second book of the Ballet Besties series, Indu, a young dancer, faces common childhood challenges with grace and determination. She grapples with stage fright and the unique realization that her passion for ballet doesn't align with becoming a principal dancer. A significant plot point involves her family's financial situation, as her mother cannot afford a ticket to a professional ballet performance. This experience sparks Indu's empathy, leading her to question the accessibility of ballet for all children. Written by a Royal Ballet principal dancer, this engaging chapter book explores themes of friendship, self-acceptance, and social responsibility, complemented by black-and-white illustrations and back matter on dance techniques. It's ideal for children aged 4-11, offering a gentle narrative about overcoming personal fears and advocating for fairness.

Whether they're devoted dancers or in it just for fun, kids of all kinds are invited to the Shimmer and Shine studio! In this second book in a series, Indu overcomes some stage fright with the help of her ballet besties. Indu loves learning ballet at her local community dance school, but unlike her friends, she doesn't want to be a principal dancer when she grows up. While she's a bit afraid of being on stage, dancing is still one of her favorite hobbies. When the class has the chance to see the ballet Cinderella put on professionally, Indu realizes the other way she's different--her mom can't afford the ticket. Indu figures out a way to go, but it makes her think: Aren't there other kids out there who want to learn ballet and can't? Shouldn't ballet be for everyone? From a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet and an award-winning children's author comes an engaging story of friendship, responsibility, and teamwork, with back matter explaining the various dance techniques and more. Black-and-white illustrations bring a diverse group of characters to life.