"The memoir of Michaela DePrince, who lived the first few years of her live in war-torn Sierra Leone until being adopted by an American Family. Now seventeen, she is one of the premiere ballerinas in the United States"--

Perfect for newly independent readers—discover the amazing life of one of America’s top ballerinas, Michaela DePrince, whose story is soon to be told in a major motion picture directed by Madonna. At the age of three, Michaela DePrince found a photo of a ballerina that changed her life. She was living in an orphanage in Sierra Leone at the time, but was soon adopted by a family and brought to America. Michaela never forgot the photo of the dancer she once saw, and quickly decided to make her dream of becoming a ballerina come true. She has been dancing ever since and is now a principal dancer in New York City and has been featured in the ballet documentary First Position, as well as Dancing with the Stars, Good Morning America, and Oprah magazine. Young readers will love learning about this inspiring ballerina in this uplifting and informative leveled reader. This Step 4 Step into Reading book is for newly independent readers who read simple sentences with confidence.

Hope in a Ballet Shoe tells the story of Michaela DePrince. Growing up in war-torn Sierra Leone, she witnesses atrocities that no child ever should. Her father is killed by rebels and her mother dies of famine. Sent to an orphanage, Michaela is mistreated and she sees the brutal murder of her favourite teacher. Michaela and her best friend are adopted by an American couple and Michaela begins to take dance lessons. But life in the States isn't without difficulties. Unfortunately, tragedy can find its way to Michaela in America, too, and her past can feel like it's haunting her. The world of ballet is a racist one, and Michaela has to fight for a place amongst the ballet elite, hearing the words 'America's not ready for a black girl ballerina.' And yet . . . Today, Michaela DePrince is an international ballet star, dancing for The Dutch National Ballet at the age of nineteen. This is a heart-breaking, inspiring autobiography by a teenager who shows us that, beyond everything, there is always hope for a better future.

"Michaela DePrince was born in Sierra Leone and grew up in the United States. She rose to fame as a ballet dancer in the late 2000s. Learn more about DePrince's life as a famous ballerina!"--

This is a one-of-a-kind book, which will motivate generations of girls and women for years to come, The Female Lead is a collection of portraits - in their own words - of over 50 inspirational women who changed the world around them. With stunning photography and heartfelt, personal interviews, this will inspire a whole generation of young women. 'A truly inspirational book' -- ***** Reader review 'Beautifully written and illustrated' -- ***** Reader review 'A beautiful, inspiring book' -- ***** Reader review 'Loved it! Truly inspiring!' -- ***** Reader review 'Inspiring and motivating with beautiful images' -- ***** Reader review ************************************************************************************************ Over fifty inspirational women, from many walks of life. All have changed the world in a variety of fields. Among them are politicians and artists, journalists and teachers, engineers and campaigners, fire fighters and film stars. Together they form an arresting gallery of portraits, each one illustrated with original photography by Brigitte Lacombe. Some have led their professions; some have broken new ground for women; some have inspired changes through relentless endeavour. All were chosen for their ambitions and achievements and all tell their stories in their own words. Includes portraits from Meryl Streep, Tina Brown, Lena Dunham, Jo Malone, Laura Bates, Yeonmi Park, Lucy Bronze, Julie Bentley and Michaela DePrince, amongst many others. For girls, it can be hard to identify role models in our society. This book will help and inspire women everywhere to realize their hopes and ambitions.

In 1914 Russia, Lara is being groomed by her father to be the next kennel steward for the Count's borzoi dogs unless her mother bears a son, but her visions, although suppressed by her father, seem to suggest she has a special bond with the dogs.

The poignant and shocking story of a mother whose hemophiliac sons contracted AIDS through blood transfusions, this work presents a scathing indictment of the blood-products industry. DePrince brings to her story the zeal of a superb investigative reporter and the rage of a grieving mother.