  | Alicia Alonso dances on Author: Vina, Rose | |
| Price: $22.38 | ||
Summary:
As a young girl in Cuba, Alicia Alonso practiced ballet in tennis shoes. Within a few years, she was in New York City, with a promising ballet career. But her eyesight began to fail. When Alicia needed surgeries to save her vision, dancing was impossible, but she wouldn't give up her dream. She found the strength and determination to return to the stage and become a prima ballerina. The true story of a woman who overcame her challenges, mastered her art, and inspired others to dance and dream.
| Illustrator: | Felix, Gloria |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 4.40 Points: .5 Quiz: 514379 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (09/15/21)
School Library Journal (+) (07/01/21)
Booklist (06/01/21)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 06/01/2021 The She Made History series (6 new titles) celebrates the lives of women around the world and the notable contributions they have made. Alicia Alonzo Dances On introduces the Cuban prima ballerina who established the Ballet Nacionale de Cuba, despite the daunting challenges that came her way. Each title is engaging and features appealing illustrations, while providing ample context and additional resources (glossaries, bibliographies, time lines, etc.). Each book takes a positive, upbeat tone and encourages readers to learn more about these people. Furthermore, the publisher has taken care to match the books’ racially and ethnically diverse subjects to female authors and illustrators from similar cultures. This attractive series shines spotlights on inspiring, deserving role models. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 07/01/2021 K-Gr 3—The inspirational life of ballerina Alicia Alonso is shared with young readers in this lovingly illustrated beginning biography. Readers are introduced to Alicia in Cuba in 1929, when she was a young girl chasing her dream of becoming a ballerina. Dance schools were extremely rare in Cuba, and soon Alicia had learned all she could and had to travel to New York to continue to pursue her dream. Alicia practiced for hours every day, but just when she was achieving her goal, she contracted an illness that threatened to take her eyesight. After a series of operations, it seemed Alicia's dream was further and further away. But through strength and incredible perseverance, Alicia not only became a prima ballerina, but also a prima ballerina assoluta, and traveled the world sharing an incredible gift that grew stronger even as she struggled with her sight. Short paragraphs and vibrant illustrations bring to life Alicia's dream and make this a perfect book to share with young readers, whether as an individual read or reading together. The illustrations excellently depict Alicia's dedication as well as the difficulties with her eyesight and will inspire readers to chase their dreams amid challenges and struggles. VERDICT Highly recommended for biography collections and nonfiction picture book collections for children.—Selenia Paz, Harris County P.L., Houston - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
