Book Description Review “…a lovely, uplifting story” (Joann Ferrara, Executive Director/Founder, Dancing Dreams)“Ready to Fly is sooo sweet, sooo wonderful and sooo inspirational. This story will no doubt show little ones everywhere that you can find a dream in the library.” (Floyd Cooper, Coretta Scott King Award–winning author-illustrator)“Readers are leaders, and Sylvia’s story proves just this.” (TaKiyah Wallace, Founder & Executive Director, Brown Girls Do, Inc.)“I love it! Not only is Ready to Fly full of adorable illustrations but [I] thoroughly enjoyed reading about the history of bookmobiles and Sylvia Townsend’s connection between books and ballet in the 1950s.” (TaKiyah Wallace, Founder & Executive Director, Brown Girls Do, Inc.)“Lyon and LaFaye have co-authored a standout text that centers action in this triumphant story.” (Kirkus Reviews)“Gibson’s full-color illustrations use patterns, textures, and expressive facial features to show a loving family, a vibrant community, and a talented girl who becomes an accomplished woman.” (Kirkus Reviews)“Engaging and inspiring, this brief introduction is also fun to read.” (Kirkus Reviews)”Rhythmic prose, with active verbs like jive, sway, soar, and float, convey movement and draw readers into Townsend’s purposeful but joyful practice sessions.” (School Library Journal)”…a tale of ambition and perseverance. A satisfying addition to nonfiction collections for younger readers.” (School Library Journal)”Gibson’s illustrations of Townsend’s early family life and dance practices express hope, wonder, and disappointment.” (School Library Journal) Read more From the Back Cover INSPIRED BY THE AMAZING LIFE OF BALLERINA SYLVIA TOWNSEND Sylvia longs to be a ballerina like the ones she sees on television.She wants to leapand twirland do pliéstill she can dance in real ballets.But as an African American girl in 1950s America, Sylvia has to make her dreams come true against all odds.This beautiful first-ever biography of Sylvia Townsend tells the story of how one determined girl got her wings by discovering the magic of the bookmobile, keeping the beat in her feet, and staying on her tippy-toes . . . always ready for liftoff. Read more About the Author Lea Lyon always wanted to create children’s books when she was a little girl. Now, after several other careers, Lyon is living out her dream. Ready to Fly is the first children’s book she’s written. She has illustrated six award-winning picture books, including Say Something by Peggy Moss and Keep Your Ear on the Ball by Genevieve Petrillo. Her book Lailah’s Lunchbox by Reem Faruqi was named an ALA Notable Book. You can visit her at www.lealyon.com.Jessica Gibson is a mostly self-taught freelance illustrator who graduated from Wayne County Community College with an associate of arts degree. Though she primarily illustrates children’s books, Gibson also creates artwork for magazines and has an interest in character design. With a pen and tablet by her side, she loves creating adorable, whimsical, and sometimes quirky illustrations, ready to brighten up everyone’s heart. You can visit her at www.jessicamgibson.com.A. LaFaye is the author of over a dozen books, including the Skipping Stones Honor Book Walking Home to Rosie Lee about the reunification of African American families after the Civil War. Her other picture books include Follow Me Down to Nicodemus Town and No Frogs in School. LaFaye, like Sylvia Townsend, always had dreams of flying, but she chose words to feather her wings and became an author. You can catch up with A. LaFaye at www.alafaye.com. Read more Customers Review: I just read this gem of a book, at first thinking I’d stop and start and finish the last page probably sometime tomorrow. No – I couldn’t stop turning the pages! The fluent, easy-feeling text coupled with delightful illustrations kept me enthralled and curious about the next turn in the plot. This picture book celebrates not only diversity, human rights on many levels, encouraging arts and music for children, and literacy, but it’s a party about inspiration and life itself. Kids, keep at it! Don’t give up on any dreams, follow your passions. They will take you exactly where you need to be. Hooray to the creators of Ready to Fly! We need more books like this available for our children and children’s children.
This picture book biography of Sylvia Townsend uses lyrical language and adorable art to make an uplifting story of overcoming discrimination age-appropriate, relatable, and inspiring for young children (and their grown ups, too!) Growing up in the 1950’s, Sylvia wasn’t able to take ballet classes because of the color of her skin, but she didn’t let that stop her passion for dance. Sylvia checked ballet and dance books out of the bookmobile and taught herself – and her friends – to dance ballet. A wonderful story told with memorable language. Highly recommended!
This book was a joy to read! I read it several times myself and look forward to sharing it with my daughter — also a huge fan of ballet. The text provides its own rhythm and rhyme, bringing the reader along on the ups and downs of Sylvia’s journey to become a ballerina. The illustrations are charming and engaging. The back matter adds valuable information on the time period in which Sylvia’s life is set, as well as the interesting evolution of the book mobile. Ready to Fly is a tribute to children chasing a dream, despite the challenges, and to the people that support them and the books that inspire them.
A lovely tale about Sylvia Townsend, a little girl determined to become a ballerina in pre-civil rights America with the help of her local book mobile. Her courage and resoluteness are truly inspiring – this is a tale that will be appreciated by any child interested in ballet or American history. There is a beautiful forward from Sylvia Townsend herself and interesting backmatter detailing the history of the book mobile. The illustrations and lively, sweet and flow beautifully with a soft warm palette, appealing to young children, and complement the swift moving, poetic text perfectly.
Beautifully written lyrical text and darling illustrations make this a perfect book for your book shelf! |
6 reviews