Ballerina Dreams
illustrated by Ella Okstad
Interest age: 5 to 8
Reading age: 6 to 8
Published by Faber & Faber, 2017
About this book
Michaela DePrince’s inspiring life story is well known: she was born in war-torn Sierra Leone, adopted at a very young age by Elaine DePrince and taken to live in America. Having been inspired by a picture of a ballerina she’d found whilst still at the orphanage, Michaela studied ballet in her new home in the US and grew up to be a famous ballerina, inspiring young black girls that they can be whoever they want to be, too.
This new version of Michaela’s inspiring and heart-warming story has been retold for a younger audience and beautifully illustrated by Ella Okstad in this short, accessible format, perfect for newly independent readers. The important messages of believing in your dreams and working hard for them still come through just as powerfully as in the adult version of the story, and the moving story of how Elaine enables her adopted daughters to achieve their dreams, supported in a loving family, will bring a tear to any parent's eye.
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Lists of recommended reads
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Books about adopted characters
Every family is different, and it's always wonderful to see part of your own experience reflected in a book. This is a selection of fantastic books – some funny, some exciting, some magical – where the main character is adopted.