When Langston Dances
By Kaija Langley
Illustrated by Keith Mallett
Langston is an energetic Black boy who likes basketball but loves ballet. He wants to be a dancer. His love for ballet began when his mom took him to see a dance performance at the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. He was amazed by all the spinning, leaping, and twirling. Langston had already performed many of these moves playing basketball.
In this picture book, the large and bright artwork explodes across the pages, showing Langston’s exuberance for dance. The people in town are delighted as he dances, not walks, from one place to another. Langston is confident enough to stand up for himself when a misunderstanding child tells him, “Boys don’t dance like that.”
Will Langston become a dancer? Read this beautifully written and illustrated Maine Chickadee Award Selection for 2022 – 2023 to find out.
PS: You may want to Google the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater to find out more information about performances like the one that inspired Langston. This African American dance company is in New York City. They also perform tours. Their tour schedule is online.
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