Summer's Dream

The third instalment of Cathy Cassidy’s Chocolate Box Girls series about five very different sisters and their unconventional family, Summer’s Dream is told from the perspective of aspiring ballet dancer Summer.

Thirteen year-old Summer has always been passionate about dancing, but when the chance to audition for a place at a prestigious ballet school comes her way, she feels sure her dreams are about to come true. Refusing to leave anything to chance, she throws herself heart and soul into preparing – so whilst her sisters enjoy lazy summer days and beach parties with their friends, Summer spends every spare moment of the summer holidays at the ballet studio, determined to make her performance absolutely perfect. But soon, the approaching audition becomes an obsession, and in her quest to be the perfect dancer, Summer begins to spiral out of control.

This insightful story presents Summer’s dreams, insecurities and anxieties with warmth and understanding: Cassidy tackles the difficult and complex subject of anorexia responsibly and with empathy. Although it is part of a series, and continues the ongoing story of the Tanberry sisters, this sensitive and thought-provoking story stands equally well alone.