Product Information
Growing up in war-torn Sierra Leone, Michaela DePrince witnesses atrocities that no child ever should. Her father is killed by rebels and her mother dies of famine. Sent to an orphanage, Michaela is mistreated and she sees the brutal murder of her favourite teachers. But there is hope: the Harmattan wind blows a magazine through the orphanage gates. Michaela picks it up and sees a beautiful image of a young woman dancing. One day, she thinks, I want to be this happy. And then Michaela and her best friend are adopted by an American couple and Michaela can take the dance lessons she's dreamed of since finding her picture. Life in the States isn't without difficulties. Unfortunately, tragedy can find its way to Michaela in America, too, and her past can feel like it's haunting her. The world of ballet is a racist one, and Michaela has to fight for a place amongst the ballet elite, hearing the words 'America's not ready for a black girl ballerina'. And yet. Today, Michaela is an international ballet star, dancing for The Dutch National Ballet at the age of 19. A heart-breaking, inspiring autobiography by a teenager who shows us that, beyond everything, there is always hope for a better future.Product Identifiers
PublisherFaber & Faber
ISBN-139780571314478
eBay Product ID (ePID)213178478
Product Key Features
Book TitleHope in a Ballet Shoe: Orphaned by War, Saved by Ballet: an Extraordinary True Story
AuthorMichaela Deprince, Elaine Deprince
FormatPaperback
LanguageEnglish
Publication Year2015
GenreChildren & Young Adults, Biographies & True Stories
Dimensions
Item Height198mm
Item Width129mm
Additional Product Features
Title_AuthorElaine Deprince, Michaela Deprince
Country/Region of ManufactureUnited Kingdom