Short stories about dancers /performing - Any recommendations?

[WindsurfingDreams]

My daughter (11) is dyslexic and so struggles to enjoy reading, but came across a Darcey Bussell book in the school library, which was short stories about dancers and loves it. She borrowed it a heap of times from the school library so I have bought her her own copy . But does anyone have any recommendations for similar books as I am struggling to find any...

She prefers short stories I think when reading feels a bit laborious they feel more achievable. And she lives to dance, act and perform so really relates to those themes as well.

Would love to get her a few more books that might interest her

The Noel Streatfield "shoe" series might suit. They aren't short stories but they are all about girls performing m/dancing and are lovely. She does have a couple of Christmas short story collections as well although I haven't read them.

The National Theatre staged ballet shoes which is the most famous book last Christmas and it was excellent. It's coming back next year and well worth seeing.

Good to know it's coming back next year, we wanted to go this year but my son was unwell so logistics were too complex

I love the Noel Streatfield books, but she's quite daunted by full length books. She can learn huge scripts off by heart but reading is really hard work for her

Not a short story, but a graphic novel… Tiny Dancer by Siena Cherson Siegel. The same author has another graphic novel about dancing which I can’t remember the title of.

May be a bit young for her but the Angelina ballerina series??

DD enjoyed Meet Me In Paris around that age. Is there perhaps a novelisation or a script?

Oh graphic novels might work, thank you!

We still read those sometimes , they are lovely

Oops I meant Find Me In Paris

For an 11-year-old who loves dancing and has dyslexia, it's important to find short stories that are engaging, easy to read, and focus on the art of dance. Here are some recommendations that may be enjoyable:

1. *"Tilly and the Map of Stories" by Anna James* – While not exclusively about dancing, this book is part of a series that revolves around Tilly's adventures in a magical bookshop. The short chapters and simple, clear writing style make it accessible, and there are themes of creativity, including dancing.

1. *"The Ballet Shoes" (from the "Ballet Shoes" series) by Noel Streatfeild* – Although it’s a bit longer than a typical short story, this classic novel about three sisters who pursue ballet is a fantastic read for a young dancer. You can also check for shorter adaptations or excerpts that focus on the ballet aspects.

1. *"The Dance Class" by Berenice Chardiet* – This is a picture book that is great for younger readers, with simple, rhythmic language and illustrations that focus on the joy of ballet. It’s an accessible and enjoyable introduction to the world of dance.

1. *"Ballet Cat: The Totally Secret Secret" by Bob & Gina Bell* – A fun, engaging series for young readers. Ballet Cat and her friends learn important lessons about dance, friendship, and overcoming challenges in short, accessible chapters.

1. *"A Dance Like Starlight" by Kristy Dempsey* – A beautifully written, short story in verse about a young girl who dreams of becoming a ballerina, inspired by the story of Janet Collins, the first African American prima ballerina. It's lyrical and accessible.

You can also look for "Easy Read" or "Dyslexia-Friendly" editions of books by authors like Darcy Bussell or similar writers focused on dance, as these formats tend to have larger fonts, simpler sentence structures, and extra spacing.

(This is what ChatGPT suggested)

I loved the Scrambled Legs books as a kid. I've just looked and it seems you can only get them second hand. They weren't short stories but I can't remember them being too heavy either.

https://www.google.com/search?scaesv=837abbad405fc9e3&rlz=1CDGOYIIenGB734GB734&hl=en-GB&q=scrambled+legs+books+set&udm=28&fbs=ABzOTCpGl4iTifXrR0wiRhoFvN4KC3CZFw4eZw55Dhid0WPwh0pbdXXPcCe9TjVbzqvWIrRoOdAb5lMX3G2cpev6drRNg11pYM2NAlSZ-xqnnYyjrH4U3ATxwGygla0XpmtzUK5zqJSoK561zh3HJLUa2G4-BqpgWu9IlhvUEF13-g6QRsBgOW11We3wq5dE_Hkrqtwpfhlazi-rMJQSD0k-AGZPweTv3ljmF0tr4u5B6ezK-l1EEo&ved=1t:220175&ictx=111&biw=402&bih=684&dpr=3

Dancing Shoes series by Antonia Barber are chapter books. They all link together, but are all stories on their own and the chapters aren't too long but are complete in themselves.
It follows two girls through their initial starting ballet up to putting on a show of their own. There's friendship issues, both good and bad, and a lot of other things that come in and out.
The main character (Lucy) is lodging with her mum (and maybe baby brother) in the second character's (Emma) house, and you have the issues that Lucy has with mum not having much money and Emma's issues that are totally different.

Although the books are written for a bit younger than her, I think there's a lot to them that she could get out of them.

Virago published two books of Noel Streatfeild short stories a few years ago Holiday Stories and Christmas Stories. Quite a few in them are ballet related. You can also get some NS books as unabridged audiobooks - would listening make them less daunting?

I loved the Drina ballerina series as a child. Not short stories but not too taxing a read either. I don't know how they've aged!

Going back, when I was a child, I loved the Wells books by Lorna Hill. I have kept them all. They are still in print. Start with Dream of Sadlers Wells. Enjoy.