Katarina Ballerina

by Tiler Peck, Kyle Harris, Sumiti Collina (Illustrator)

Overview

A young girl lives out her big ballerina dreams in this graceful start to a new series from New York City Ballet principal dancer and international prima ballerina Tiler Peck and Broadway and television actor Kyle Harris.

Ten-year-old Katarina is a New York City girl through and through, but the buzz of the city drives her to feel that she is meant for more than her ordinary day to day routine. Her big dream? To become a prima ballerina.

With the help of a few new friends, Katarina finally puts on her first pair of ballet shoes and she’s more than determined to make it work. But her feet don’t quite move the way she would like them to, the twirls and spins make her dizzy, and her classmates aren’t exactly welcoming. When the head of the dance studio announces that there will be a competition to earn a spot in an upcoming international dance camp, Katarina knows this could be her big chance to make her dancer dreams come true. Does this tiny dancer have what it takes to stand out in the ballet world of blending in?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534452787
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	05/05/2020
Series:	Katarina Ballerina , #1
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
Lexile:	840L (what's this?)
File size:	8 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Tiler Peck is an international ballerina and has been a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet since 2009. She has been seen on Broadway in On the Town and The Music Man and originated the role of Marie in The Kennedy Center’s production of Little Dancer, alongside Kyle Harris. Ms. Peck performed for President Obama at the 2012 and 2014 Kennedy Center Honors. Ms. Peck has guested on Dancing with the Stars twice, and recently appeared on Julie Andrews’s Netflix series, Julie’s Greenroom. She is a recipient of the 2013 Princess Grace Statue Award and was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in Hollywood/Entertainment. Most recently, she was the first woman to curate three performances titled Ballet Now at the Los Angeles Music Center and is the subject of a new documentary directed by Steven Cantor and produced by Elisabeth Moss for Hulu. She lives in New York City with her dog Cali. To learn more about Tiler, follow her on all social media platforms @TilerPeck.

Kyle Harris is an actor in New York City. He recently starred in Freeform’s hit series Stitchers for three seasons and has appeared on Broadway in The Inheritance and Sondheim on Sondheim. Kyle toured the country as Tony in the Broadway National Tour of West Side Story and starred opposite Tiler Peck in the Broadway bound musical Little Dancer at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Kyle has also appeared on The Carrie Diaries and Beauty and the Beast on the CW, HBO’s High Maintenance, NBC’s The Blacklist Redemption, and God Friended Me on CBS. He has a BFA in musical theater from the University of Arizona and is the son of a second-grade teacher. If it weren’t for his mother introducing him to children’s books at a young age, he knows he wouldn’t be as well rounded and successful in the arts as he is today. To learn more about Kyle, follow him on all social media platforms @KyleHarris.

Sumi Collina is a magenta-haired illustrator based in Italy. She’s been creating since the moment she decided that drawing was better than bruising her knees while playing with the other kids. She worked as a pixel artist for three dress-up websites before moving to Rome to study illustration. Sumi now works freelance, illustrating children’s books, proposal scenes for young couples (again, lots of bruised knees), and card games. She now lives with a family of three very rustic dogs. As a dog owner, she is very passionate towards donating towards animals in need around the world.

Editorial Reviews

06/01/2020

Gr 3–6—On her walk to school, Katarina stops and watches beautiful ballet on a New York City storefront television as she dreams of being a dancer. Her struggle at the school talent show proves that it's not as easy as it looks, so she enrolls in ballet school where her bright red leotard and curly hair don't quite fit the mold. Katarina quickly realizes that there is more to learn in order to fit into this new world; but her love of ballet and hard work mean that anything is possible as she overcomes obstacles and self-doubt. The message that staying true to one's identity takes priority over fitting into expectations is a positive one, although Katarina's challenges are a little too easily resolved. Her single father has financial difficulties but the consequences never seem more than theoretical. The secondary characters, which include a supportive subway busker and ice-queen class bully, are fairly one-dimensional. Katarina's best friend Sunny is largely a tool to further the plot, first helping Katarina improve her technical ability, then causing conflict, then getting hurt at just the right time for Katarina to step up and shine. The outcomes, while predictable, are still enjoyable. Katarina is a likeable and relatable protagonist. There are appearances by the author, a self-insertion that will please ballet fans familiar with Peck's celebrated ballet career, in which she offers kind and sage advice. Cute illustrations and a pleasant font increase readability and appeal. VERDICT Young dance enthusiasts will jeté with joy for this lighthearted pursuit of a dream.—Alyssa Annico, Youngstown State Univ., OH

School Library Journal

2020-03-15
Can a self-taught dancer make it big in the world of ballet?

Katarina dreams of being a ballerina, but lessons are expensive, so she’s been teaching herself via the internet. Then at the school talent show her dad sees her passion and finally agrees to pay for lessons. Katarina’s first class is difficult and embarrassing, but with the help of a new best friend and encouragement from principal New York City Ballet dancer Tiler Peck (acting as character), Katarina might be able to dance her way to her dream. An endless stream of inspirationally flat dialogue and narration fill the short chapters of this quick read co-written by real-life ballerina Peck and actor Harris. A charming concept gives way to pandering wish fulfillment that may satisfy only readers who don’t know anything about formal dance class, as the passages about ballet are less than believable. Readers should go to either Noel Streatfield’s classic Ballet Shoes (1936) or Maddie Ziegler’s contemporary The Audition (2017) for a more realistic look at dance. The cover depicts Katarina with light brown skin and light brown curls, but Collina’s black-and-white drawings and the lack of any specific racial or cultural details in the text points to an assumed white protagonist with unruly curls. Some supporting characters have diverse names or appearances.

A fluffy read for kids who like dance in theory, not in practice. (Fiction. 8-10)

Kirkus Reviews