Attitude

by Robin Stevenson

Overview

When Cassie comes to Vancouver from Australia for an intensive summer program at a prestigious ballet school, she finds it hard to fit in. A clique of girls who have been at the school a long time don't want the newcomers to get any attention. At first Cassie tries to go along to get along, but when she realizes that some of the visiting summer students are being bullied and threatened, and that she herself is being sabotaged, she finally speaks out—and finds out how far some girls will go to succeed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459803848
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	10/01/2013
Series:	Orca Limelights Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
Lexile:	650L (what's this?)
File size:	541 KB
Age Range:	11 - 14 Years

About the Author

Robin Stevenson is the author of more than twenty-five books for kids and teens, including Pride Puppy!, Pride Colors and Kid Activists: True Tales of Childhood from Champions of Change. The first edition of her nonfiction book Pride: Celebrating Diversity&Community (2016) won a Stonewall Honor and was shortlisted for numerous other awards. Robin lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Editorial Reviews

"Ballet dancers will likely be familiar with the dance terms used in this story and be able to empathize with the main character’s problems."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"The relationships felt true in this book...Any child involved in a competitive sport will relate to the way these girls pursue their passion."

5 Minutes for Books

"Shows the challenges teens have when involved in any extra-curricular activity at the highest level."

Resource Links

"Stevenson creates an authentic picture of what it is like for young dancers participating in ballet programs...The girls combat bullying, homesickness, and multiple physical and emotional challenges, all of which are realistically and compellingly portrayed. The novel is engaging and rich with detail about the competitive world of aspiring dancers, and readers who are dancers, or who have an interest in dance, will appreciate this fascinating behind the-scenes look at ballet...This innovative series offers something for all kinds of readers whether they are directly involved in the performing arts or not. They are short, fast-paced and well executed—stories perfect for fans of performing arts-focused television shows such as Glee."

Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Canadian Children’s Book News

"The relationships felt true in this book...Any child involved in a competitive sport will relate to the way these girls pursue their passion."

5minutesforbooks.com

"Ballet dancers will likely be familiar with the dance terms used in this story and be able to empathize with the main character’s problems."

CM Magazine

"Stevenson creates an authentic picture of what it is like for young dancers participating in ballet programs...The girls combat bullying, homesickness, and multiple physical and emotional challenges, all of which are realistically and compellingly portrayed. The novel is engaging and rich with detail about the competitive world of aspiring dancers, and readers who are dancers, or who have an interest in dance, will appreciate this fascinating behind the-scenes look at ballet...This innovative series offers something for all kinds of readers whether they are directly involved in the performing arts or not. They are short, fast-paced and well executed—stories perfect for fans of performing arts-focused television shows such as Glee."

Canadian Children's Book News

02/01/2014
Gr 7 Up—Readers are introduced to three different creative teens in this new hi/lo series: a ballet dancer, a theater student, and an aspiring rock star. In Attitude, Australian Cassie is invited to spend the summer at a prestigious ballet academy in Vancouver. Being the new girl, she has a difficult time fitting in. However, when another dancer named Melissa begins to make threats, Cassie becomes afraid of how far Melissa will go in order to stay on top. While the plot is fairly predictable, there is just enough drama between the ballerinas to keep teens interested. Cut the Lights follows Briar, a sophomore who wins a coveted spot as the director of a one-act play at her performing arts school. Unfortunately, Briar soon finds that neither her cast nor her crew are supportive of her vision. As tensions mount, the girl learns about what it takes to be a good leader. Each chapter opens like a play complete with stage directions. Briar's struggles with finding her voice as both a director and a leader will resonate with teens, especially drama students. In Totally Unrelated, Neil has always been a guitarist for his family's band. When his friend Bert convinces him to form a rock band and enter a local talent show, Neil realizes that he wants to be more than just a background player. But when he is forced to choose between the talent show and an important gig with his family, the boy will have to decide what matters more-fame or family. This is a solid story about becoming your own person. Neil is a sympathetic character who readers will root for throughout his journey. These titles are all great choices for younger teens and reluctant readers.—Kimberly Castle-Alberts, Hudson Library & Historical Society, OH

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