(4) 4-6 Dance Divas series. The Dance Divas continue to learn about teamwork and fairness. When youngest member Gracie wins a coveted Nutcracker role, her teammates respond with jealousy, insecurity, and sabotage (Pointe). The girls keep secrets from one another and lie to their competition--and face the consequences (Showstopper). Though didactic, these fifth and sixth outings explore common woes of pre-teen friendships with entertaining dance-specific details. Review covers these Dance Divas titles: On Pointe and Showstopper.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 Dance Divas series. A week before a competition, Dance Divas director Miss Toni taps both Rochelle and snotty teammate Liberty to perform brand-new duets with cute Hayden, then puts Rochelle in charge while she leaves town. Much is implausible (including plot, timeline, and staging details: performing a Hurricane Sandy–themed piece with real water?), but the story does capture characters' realistic insecurities and rivalries.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 Dance Divas series. The Dance Divas continue to learn about teamwork and fairness. When youngest member Gracie wins a coveted Nutcracker role, her teammates respond with jealousy, insecurity, and sabotage (Pointe). The girls keep secrets from one another and lie to their competition--and face the consequences (Showstopper). Though didactic, these fifth and sixth outings explore common woes of pre-teen friendships with entertaining dance-specific details. Review covers these Dance Divas titles: On Pointe and Showstopper.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 Dance Divas series. The Dance Divas are invited to perform in a music video--but first must learn a choreography based on Chaplin's "Little Tramp" for a competition. To get into the spirit, they volunteer at a homeless shelter and inspire the video's stars to host a fundraiser for the shelter. This series entry is message-heavy but packed with dance details and schoolyard-appropriate zingers.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) YA Dario Quincy Academy of Dance series. Five teenage girls investigate eerie occurrences at their prestigious-but-creepy ballet academy. Students' family heirlooms disappear and the friends discover teachers performing a ritual with them (Shadows). Kayley steals a pair of pointe shoes said to grant good luck--but as her dancing improves, her friends get inexplicably injured (Luck). Aimed at reluctant readers, these novels are entertaining if not especially original or characterful. Review covers these Dario Quincy Academy of Dance titles: Leaping at Shadows and Stolen Luck.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) YA Dario Quincy Academy of Dance series. Five teenage girls investigate eerie occurrences at their prestigious-but-creepy ballet academy. Students' family heirlooms disappear and the friends discover teachers performing a ritual with them (Shadows). Kayley steals a pair of pointe shoes said to grant good luck--but as her dancing improves, her friends get inexplicably injured (Luck). Aimed at reluctant readers, these novels are entertaining if not especially original or characterful. Review covers these Dario Quincy Academy of Dance titles: Leaping at Shadows and Stolen Luck.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 Dance Divas series. The members of a pre-teen competitive dance team get caught up in a rivalry with the City Feet team. The Dance Divas engage in some not-entirely-ethical behavior (and catch City Feet cheating, too) but ultimately find success comes with hard work and creative risks. Message-heavy and light on dramatic tension, this series opener nevertheless offers humor and plenty of choreography and costume details.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 Dance Class series. Illustrated by Crip. These installments in the graphic novel series follow a group of teen dancers as they travel to St. Petersburg to perform The Nutcracker with the famous Mariinsky Theater (Russia) and then to London to audition for a holiday musical (Christmas). The humorous comic-strip vignettes are somewhat disjointed; friendship, dating, competition, and responsibility are themes throughout each volume. Review covers these Dance Class titles: A Merry Olde Christmas and To Russian, With Love.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 Dance Class series. Illustrated by Crip. These installments in the graphic novel series follow a group of teen dancers as they travel to St. Petersburg to perform The Nutcracker with the famous Mariinsky Theater (Russia) and then to London to audition for a holiday musical (Christmas). The humorous comic-strip vignettes are somewhat disjointed; friendship, dating, competition, and responsibility are themes throughout each volume. Review covers these Dance Class titles: A Merry Olde Christmas and To Russian, With Love.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 Dance Class series. Illustrated by Crip. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(4) 4-6 Dance Class series. Illustrated by Crip. These graphic novels offer somewhat fractured comic strips loosely held together by the ballet class's (wacky) production of "Romeo and Juliet" and then their letting loose with African dance; the climaxes are both unexpected and humorous. The tiny cartoons of teen characters, focus on dating in the stories, and occasional innuendos are aimed at older middle-schoolers. Review covers these Dance Class titles: African Folk Dance Fever and Romeos and Juliet.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(4) 4-6 On the Radar: Dance series. This series provides engaging introductions to dance forms. The texts cover background and historical influences, dance-specific lingo and gear, influence on popular culture, and step-by-step dance-move instructions. Profiles of several real-life dancers, presented in various formats (interview, week-in-the-life blog, etc.), offer aspiring dancers inspiration and insight. The busy format, with lots of bold colors and photographs, can be hard to follow. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these On the Radar: Dance titles Capoeira, Latin Dance, and Street Dance.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) 4-6 On the Radar: Dance series. This series provides engaging introductions to dance forms. The texts cover background and historical influences, dance-specific lingo and gear, influence on popular culture, and step-by-step dance-move instructions. Profiles of several real-life dancers, presented in various formats (interview, week-in-the-life blog, etc.), offer aspiring dancers inspiration and insight. The busy format, with lots of bold colors and photographs, can be hard to follow. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these On the Radar: Dance titles Capoeira, Latin Dance, and Street Dance.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) 4-6 On the Radar: Dance series. This series provides engaging introductions to dance forms. The texts cover background and historical influences, dance-specific lingo and gear, influence on popular culture, and step-by-step dance-move instructions. Profiles of several real-life dancers, presented in various formats (interview, week-in-the-life blog, etc.), offer aspiring dancers inspiration and insight. The busy format, with lots of bold colors and photographs, can be hard to follow. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these On the Radar: Dance titles Capoeira, Latin Dance, and Street Dance.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) YA Dance series. Covering a wide range of topics, from history and cultural significance to steps, music, and costumes, this series is a useful resource for dance enthusiasts. Dynamic photographs illustrate some of the performances discussed. The parts organized chronologically read smoothly; others are more tedious and difficult to follow. With their many sidebars and design elements, the pages are busy. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Dance title:Ballet, Hip-Hop and Urban Dance, Tap and Jazz, Latin and Ballroom, African and Asian, Country and Folk, and [cf]Modern Dance.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(4) YA Dance series. Covering a wide range of topics, from history and cultural significance to steps, music, and costumes, this series is a useful resource for dance enthusiasts. Dynamic photographs illustrate some of the performances discussed. The parts organized chronologically read smoothly; others are more tedious and difficult to follow. With their many sidebars and design elements, the pages are busy. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Dance title:Ballet, Hip-Hop and Urban Dance, Tap and Jazz, Latin and Ballroom, African and Asian, Country and Folk, and [cf]Modern Dance.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(4) YA Dance series. Covering a wide range of topics, from history and cultural significance to steps, music, and costumes, this series is a useful resource for dance enthusiasts. Dynamic photographs illustrate some of the performances discussed. The parts organized chronologically read smoothly; others are more tedious and difficult to follow. With their many sidebars and design elements, the pages are busy. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Dance title:Ballet, Hip-Hop and Urban Dance, Tap and Jazz, Latin and Ballroom, African and Asian, Country and Folk, and [cf]Modern Dance.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(4) YA Dance series. Covering a wide range of topics, from history and cultural significance to steps, music, and costumes, this series is a useful resource for dance enthusiasts. Dynamic photographs illustrate some of the performances discussed. The parts organized chronologically read smoothly; others are more tedious and difficult to follow. With their many sidebars and design elements, the pages are busy. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Dance title:Ballet, Hip-Hop and Urban Dance, Tap and Jazz, Latin and Ballroom, African and Asian, Country and Folk, and [cf]Modern Dance.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(4) YA Dance series. Covering a wide range of topics, from history and cultural significance to steps, music, and costumes, this series is a useful resource for dance enthusiasts. Dynamic photographs illustrate some of the performances discussed. The parts organized chronologically read smoothly; others are more tedious and difficult to follow. With their many sidebars and design elements, the pages are busy. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Dance title:Ballet, Hip-Hop and Urban Dance, Tap and Jazz, Latin and Ballroom, African and Asian, Country and Folk, and [cf]Modern Dance.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(4) YA Dance series. Covering a wide range of topics, from history and cultural significance to steps, music, and costumes, this series is a useful resource for dance enthusiasts. Dynamic photographs illustrate some of the performances discussed. The parts organized chronologically read smoothly; others are more tedious and difficult to follow. With their many sidebars and design elements, the pages are busy. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Dance title:Ballet, Hip-Hop and Urban Dance, Tap and Jazz, Latin and Ballroom, African and Asian, Country and Folk, and [cf]Modern Dance.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett