

There, her immense talents were quickly recognized and a number of people began assisting her in the arduous process of becoming a world-class ballet dancer.


But fortunately, Misty went to a dance class at 13 years old. So poor was her family that they once lived in a hotel for long periods of time. Though Misty was superbly gifted gymnastically, she never studied ballet until she was 13 years old. The Copeland family was torn by divorce, poverty and racial issues. Laurie Calkhoven tells the unlikely story of Copeland’s rise to superstardom. It is a biography of Misty Copeland’s life. The paintings are exquisite, and readers see the caring mentoring of the young girl by Copeland as she grows from a shy child into a beautiful ballerina. Misty Copeland soars through the pages of the book with grace and beauty. As the child grows in confidence, we see her dancing with Copeland in rising leaps and pirouettes.Ĭhristopher Myers’ paintings draw readers into the magic and powers of this beautiful form of dance. In what must be an autobiography, Misty takes this poor, unsure girl and helps her learn the many facets of ballet. The first text is a dazzling picture book showing Misty Copeland dancing and teaching a young child the possibilities of her learning ballet. Both tell the story of Misty Copeland, the prima ballerina of the American Ballet Theatre. The two books listed above are accounts of a young girl overcoming both the hardships of poverty and the limited views of a black child becoming a famous ballerina. This meant hard work, perseverance and the humility to accept help from people trying to assist them. They took the talents given to them by God and nurtured them. But these inspiring souls refused to have others determine their future. Sometimes these obstacles included a lack of money, a limited education or even racial discrimination. Many of these people had to overcome great challenges to reach their goals. The United States was founded by people striving to achieve their dreams. Simon Spotlight, New York, New York, 2016, 48 pages, Grades 2-4. “You Should Meet: Misty Copeland,” by Laurie Calkhoven, illustrated by Monique Dong.

Putnam’s Sons, New York, 2014, 32 pages, K-3. “Firebird: Ballerina Misty Copeland Shows a Young Girl How to Dance Like the Firebird,”īy Misty Copeland, illustrated by Christopher Myers.
