Last Dance

Gr 4-6--A career-ending injury leaves Miriam, a white teen prima ballerina, desperate to regain her former glory. After her release from the hospital and a failed attempt to dance on her injured leg, she discovers a hidden room behind the studio's mirrored walls--and a shadowy spirit who offers to help Miriam regain her abilities and gives her a pair of ballet shoes that heal her injury, in exchange for a price ("For years I've watched ballerinas through this room. I wish to join them through you."). But Miriam is now a mere company dancer; newcomer Lorelei, who is brown-skinned, is chosen as the prima ballerina. The shadow spirit assures an enraged Miriam that it will help her reclaim her former role. However, it becomes apparent that the spirit is drawing the power to heal Miriam from Lorelei and from another ballerina, Suzanne, who is Black, and Miriam must choose between her friendships and her ambitions. Using loose, fluid lines, Schroy creates beautiful dance sequences and captivating images of traditional ballet poses entwined with musical notes and, in some cases, the spirit's shadows and the ribbons from the enchanted shoes. There is also a glossary of ballet terms at the back of the book. However, aside from Miriam, none of the other characters are fully developed. Also, it's hard to ignore that white Miriam enthusiastically endangers two dancers of color to achieve her own goals. VERDICT Light on horror, heavy on personal responsibility in the cutthroat world of ballet.--Jennie Law, Georgia State Univ., Atlanta

An ominous monochromatic dark-blue and gray palette sets the mood for this exploration of ambition set in the world of ballet, where single-minded principal dancer Miriam is determined to preserve her stature at any price. After an ankle fracture costs Miriam her role, she's pushed back into the corps--the "back-up dancers," in her view. But when she encounters a mysterious spirit shadow, she makes a deal, that, unsurprisingly, she comes to regret. In her graphic novel debut, Schroy highlights emotions and reactions in pointed, wordless renderings of facial expressions, while equally close, detailed views of Miriam's injured foot and crutches emphasize her injury and continuing pain. Unfortunately, ethnically diverse secondary characters fall flat, serving primarily to propel Miriam's downward trajectory and eventual transformation. Echoing classic, more complex ballet stories depicted in films, such as The Red Shoes and Black Swan, Schroy's graphic novel layers a psychological study into a cautionary tale with mixed results. Ages 8-12. (Nov.)

A ballet story with a slight surreal twist for dance lovers. — KIRKUS

The perfect kind of ballerina drama. — BOOKLIST

A sobering fable about the prices that people pay to stay at the top of their art. — FOREWORD

An ominous monochromatic dark-blue and gray palette sets the mood for this exploration of ambition set in the world of ballet. — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Schroy makes excellent use of both color and panel design in this graphic novel to evoke the sweeping, sometimes all-consuming world . . . that a longed-for dream can fill. — BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS

A strong story for middle-grade readers, and one that deals with classic horror tropes, but in a way that's safe and comfortable for readers of that age. — CEMETERY DANCE