![]() Theo’s development as a character completely relies on her voice, how she tells her story, and how she comes to shocking realizations about her past. She is mature and naive, driven and confused, surly and vulnerable. Brandy Colbert’s control over Theo’s voice is masterful. I’ll say this: Pointe is a strong Morris contender. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, April 2014 And although they are quite different in the way ballet is utilized as part of the narrative, we’ve paired them for this post because they offer contrasting viewpoints, and it’s a diversity of voice within very specific parameters. Each book earned a star from Publisher’s Weekly, which would make them under-the-radar contenders for the Printz. If you needed further proof, you could look at Michaela DePrince’s recently published memoir, Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina. Seriously, just google “where are all the black ballerinas ” you will see an alarming number of results. Excellent timing because Pointe isn’t only a novel with a narrator of color it’s a novel that places its protagonist in a world that’s known for its issues with women of color. ![]() ![]() Brandy Colbert’s debut YA novel, Pointe was published just two weeks before the influential hashtag was born. Diversity in YA has received a lot of attention recently, thanks to the #WeNeedDiverseBooks hashtag that’s evolved into a formal organization for activism and awareness. ![]()
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