When Langston Dances
CCBC Review:
“Langston liked basketball, but he adored ballet.” It was an Alvin Ailey dance concert that sparked Langston’s passion. He begins practicing in front of the mirror while he waits for his first dance class. On the day he arrives at the studio, he passes a tap class, an African dance class, and a hip-hop class before arriving at ballet, where Ms. Marie, the teacher, is calling out “First position.” The line of students, all girls, move their feet into a V. Standing in the doorway, in the red basketball uniform he’s donned for his first lesson, Langston does the same. When Ms. Marie finds him a pair of dance shoes, Langston leaps joyfully across the room after putting them on. “You must work very hard to be a ballet dancer,” Ms. Marie tells him. “I will,” Langston replies. And in the final two images, showing an older Langston dancing, it’s clear he does. A book that focuses on a young Black boy’s passion for dance is set against digitally rendered, realistic illustrations that amplify his joy in every movement. ©2022 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Keith Mallett
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 4-8
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
African Americans
Boys and Men
Dance and Dancers
Feelings/Emotions
Perseverance
Sports
Diversity subject:
Black/African
Publisher:
Simon & Schuster
Publish Year: 2021
Pages: 40
ISBN: 9781534485198
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Langley