Ages: 5 years +

Alexandra has just moved from Georgia to New York City where her mother forces Alex to do ballet, but Alex wants to be a skateboarder not a ballerina. When Alex is randomly assigned the lead role of Sugar Plum Fairy in the school's summer performance, she is terrified and shunned by the other dancers. Alex considers quitting but the she saw her favorite skateboarder talking about ballet, Alex is determined to do her best at the dance. All the other dance students decide to help her, and then they all become best friends. The moral of this book is how important it is to have self-confidence and determination, if you really want something and never give up, you can do almost anything you set your mind to. ( )

"Al" moves to Harlem with her mother, and enrolls in ballet class. Even though she is fighting stage fright, she is chosen as the Sugar Plum Fairy in the class' performance.

Alexandrea does not want to be a ballerina, but she does not want to leave her friends in Apple Creek. That doesn't stop her ballet mother from moving them to Harlem, and enrolling her in the Nutcracker School of Ballet. It's hard to be the new person and she is a bad dancer. she also has a case of stage fright.
My Personal reaction was it is okay to be scared and that she needs to let her mother know she does not want to do it.
Classrooms extensions that could be good for this book is dancing around the room. Also this is a book that you could read when you get a new student and have the kids call say something nice.

Cooperation, teamwork and the will to not give up is what helped Alexandreado what she needed to do and get accomplished. At first she wasn't a big fan of "ballet" itself, however when she saw her idol incorporating ballet moves into her routine, she saw ballet with different eyes. It just comes to show that trying new things isn't all that bad. That one should be willing to try new things and who knows maybe that can lead into something positive and into something you may want to continue to pursue and stick with. A very sweet and charming story.