Reeni's Turn [Paperback]

Eleven-year-old Reeni’s world is changing. Her star-of-the-senior-class, college-bound sister has no time for her, sixth grade is full of girls into makeup and diets and crushes, and something deep inside tells Reeni it’s time to become more than a shy girl in the shadows. But when she commits to dancing a solo for her retiring ballet teacher’s final recital, her lifelong fear of performing expands along with her newly-changing body. Lunch friends convince Reeni that a diet will give her courage and self-confidence, but the diet wreaks havoc with Reeni’s life. She lies to her parents, breaks up with her best friend, and loses focus on school work and dance. Reeni faces a painful choice: should she break her commitment to solo and quit dance? Or might she have hidden strengths that could help her come out of the shadows and become the girl she wants to be?

“In lyrical, deeply moving verse, REENI'S TURN shares both the joy and beauty of dance and the cruel self-doubt caused by our culture's obsession with bodily appearance. This is an extraordinarily empowering book.” —Claudia Mills, Author ofZERO TOLERANCEandNIXIE NESS, COOKING STAR(After-School Superstars)

“REENI'S TURNis a moving story of identity, courage, and self-acceptance. Grannick's verse spins with a dancer's ease: graceful and elegant, determined and powerful. Readers will connect with Reeni’s struggle to listen to her inner voice when the world threatens to drown it out, and applaud as she triumphs.” —Lisa Jenn Bigelow, Author of HAZEL'S THEORY OF EVOLUTION,DRUM ROLL PLEASE, andSTARTING FROM HERE
 

“Through beautifully crafted poetry, Carol Coven Grannick creates a main character who is strong yet vulnerable and highly relatable.Reeni's Turnartfully portrays the dance that is middle school--sometimes slÓ'