Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina

by Lea Lyon (Author) Jessica Gibson (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

An inspiring picture book for little ballerinas everywhere!

Ready to Fly is the true story of Sylvia Townsend, an African American girl who falls in love with ballet after seeing Swan Lake on TV.

Although there aren't many ballet schools that will accept a girl like Sylvia in the 1950s, her local bookmobile provides another possibility. A librarian helps Sylvia find a book about ballet and the determined seven-year-old, with the help of her new books, starts teaching herself the basics of classical ballet.

Soon Sylvia learns how to fly--how to dance--and how to dare to dream. Lyrical, easy-to-read, and affecting text paired with bright, appealing illustrations make Ready to Fly perfect for aspiring ballerinas everywhere who are ready to leap and to spread their wings.

Includes a foreword from Sylvia Townsend, a brief history of the bookmobile, an author's note, and a further reading list.

Select format:
Paperback
$9.99

Kirkus

Engaging and inspiring, this brief introduction is also fun to read.

Review quotes

"Ready to Fly is sooo sweet, sooo wonderful and sooo inspirational. This story will no doubt show little ones everywhere that you can find a dream in the library."—Floyd Cooper, Coretta Scott King Award-winning author-illustrator
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780062888792
Lexile Measure
690
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
HarperCollins
Publication date
January 24, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF018010 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | United States - African-American
JNF007060 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Performing Arts
JNF039020 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Performing Arts | Dance
Library of Congress categories
-

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!