  | Reel wish Author: Mendez, Yamile Saied | |
| Price: $26.06 | ||
Summary:
Eleven-year-old Florencia finds her ballet dreams and some friendships cut short after a panic attack during a performance, but she forges a new path for herself as she comes to terms with her anxiety.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 4.90 Points: 10.0 Quiz: 553212 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (03/15/25)
School Library Journal (05/24/25)
Booklist (+) (12/01/25)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/04/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 01/27/2025 M?ndez (The Trouble with Sunshine) examines the toll that participating in elite dance has on one child’s friendships and mental health in this emotionally raw and honest offering. Eleven-year-old Latina ballerina Florencia is ecstatic upon securing the lead role in the Utah Valley Junior Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. But when, on opening night, she experiences a panic attack on stage, her brown-skinned best friend Selena steps in to continue the performance and Flor is expelled from the dance company. Feeling unmoored, Flor contends with drastic changes to her daily routine and the end of her lifelong friendship with Selena, brought about by Flor’s own feelings of inadequacy and Selena’s sudden mean-girl bullying. When Flor learns about a new form of dance, however, she realizes that she can seek joy and friendship outside of ballet. Via unflinching prose, M?ndez showcases how the cruel, sometimes racist bullying that Flor experiences impacts her existing anxiety, and the steps she takes to better her own circumstances. Depictions of supportive caregivers and earnest friendships serve to elevate this story of a tween persevering under pressure. Spanish-language edition publishing simultaneously. Ages 8-12. Agent: Linda Camacho, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Apr.) - Copyright 2025
Booklist - 05/01/2025 *Starred Review* Thanks to an amazing audition, Florencia del Lago achieves her dream to perform Clara in The Nutcracker. But soon the weight of expectations starts to erode her during rehearsals; bullying and her slipping grades don’t help. The trainwreck of opening night comes across painfully slowly through Flor’s eyes, and after that night and losing her so-called best friend, Flor spirals into anxiety and depression. Through love from new friends and family, therapy and medication, and a different way to relate to dance, Florencia finds ways to believe in herself and love dance again. This age is difficult to capture, and Méndez portrays it beautifully; Florencia has very grown-up feelings and actions interspersed with childlike observances. When she leaves ballet, readers will feel her grief and, later, her triumph when she finds another style, Irish dancing, which sparks joy again. Other topics in this book include school lockdowns, racism, parental pressure, and cyberbullying. It’s an overwhelming list, but that is the reality of the world young people occupy today. Seeing a fellow tween navigate a difficult time will inspire not just dancers but any young person finding their way back to themselves. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
