Published by Sunbird Books

Summary:  Six Black dancers, three men and three women, are profiled, each one given a few pages describing his or her career and the racism each one encountered and overcame to achieve groundbreaking success.  The six are listed in chronological order, beginning with Essie Marie Dorsey, who lived from 1893-1967, and finishing with Michaela DePrince, born in 1995 and currently dancing with the Boston Ballet.  The author’s note at the end lists eight other Black ballet dancers, with the years they lived and the companies they danced with.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  Dancers will find plenty to inspire them in these stories, timed perfectly to celebrate Black History Month.  The illustrations capture the grace, strength, and beauty of the ballerinas.

Cons:  I wish there was more historical context for the biographies.