Misty’s poetic story soothes and inspires, affirms and applauds. The previous black soloist had danced two decades before. Where was her mirror? Misty found it in pioneering ballerina Raven Wilkinson, a soloist of the 1950s Ballet Russe.įirebird, the title role Misty played in the ballet of the same name, is a love letter to kids who see a “longer than forever” distance between where they are and the soaring heights they can reach. In her children’s book debut, Misty shares the touching story of a girl whose faith in her dancing dreams falters until she meets a reflection of who she can be.Įntering the world of ballet at 13, Misty looked for images of herself too. Through her talent, commitment and passion, she became the third African American soloist in the history of the American Ballet Theater. Firebird (Putnam, 2014), the award-winning picture book written by American Ballet Theater soloist Misty Copeland and illustrated by Christopher Myers, is a beautiful celebration of that truth. Children’s literature scholar Rudine Sims Bishop says that books have the power to be mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors.
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