About BC Books Online
BC Books Online was created for anyone interested in BC-published books, and with librarians especially in mind. We'd like to make it easy for library staff to learn about books from BC publishers - both new releases and backlist titles - so you can inform your patrons and keep your collections up to date.
Our site features print books and ebooks - both new releases and backlist titles - all of which are available to order through regular trade channels. Browse our subject categories to find books of interest or create and export lists by category to cross-reference with your library's current collection.
A quick tip: When reviewing the "Browse by Category" listings, please note that these are based on standardized BISAC Subject Codes supplied by the books' publishers. You will find additional selections, grouped by theme or region, in our "BC Reading Lists."
Description
Fifteen-year-old Natalie is obsessed with ballet and plans to spend the entire summer in dance class with her two best friends. But when her mom gets a job out of town, Natalie gets shipped off to stay with cousins she barely knows.
Natalie is thrilled when her cousins invite her to join them at the local dance studio. But it turns out it's not a ballet class; it's Irish dance. Skeptical at first, Natalie is surprised to learn she really enjoys the new dance style and agrees to take part in an upcoming competition. But this new passion could result in Natalie having to leave her ballet dreams behind.
This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!
Contributor Notes
Much of Elizabeth J.M. Walker’s childhood and teen years were spent in dance classes, which explains why so much dancing finds its way into her books and stories. She currently volunteers with a local dance theater company, where she helps plan productions, writes scripts and choreographs dances. She lives in Windsor, Ontario, with her husband and their creatures: two cats and a dog.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 9 to 12
- Grade:
- 4 to 7
- Reading age:
- 9 to 12
Awards
- Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens
Editorial Reviews
"I love the opening description of the end of year show for the ballet school—it gave a glimpse into what makes someone want to devote herself to such a life."
— CM: Canadian Review of Materials
"Slip Jig Summer offers a fun twist on the fish-out-of-water story by putting a ballerina in an Irish dance class. It's a short book with a fast-moving plot…familiar interpersonal issues, portrayed in an accessible storyline, will help lower-literacy readers move through the text easily…I enjoyed the fresh focus on dance and predict the novel will lead its readers to other dance novels (of which there are many). It's an energetic selection for high/low readers."
— Resource Links
