By Alexia Casale (author)
"An extraordinary and important coming of age novel"
Paperback In Stock £8.99 £8.09
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If ever a character had the right to be grumpy, sarcastic, and difficult it would be Ven.
At 15 she was on the cusp of making the big time with her dance group when she collapsed on stage. Chronic pain and disability have taken that life away from her. But as she says, ‘I am the life I make happen’ and it is her choice that we never get to hear her diagnosis, because she will not be defined by that.
She is still the endearing, loyal, funny, talented daughter, and friend and this is a thoroughly enjoyable teenage summer festival romance, with all the twists and turns, misunderstandings and revelations that readers will love.
But what is so outstanding is the authenticity of the disability representation. While we can all feel her anger at things that should and could be better, Ven is no heroic victim wanting pity. Thrown together in a singing group with Ren, the boy who literally and painfully bumped into her life, Ven slowly realises that she still has options. This group, with all its bickering and individuals with their own problems, could be another chance for her dreams.
None of this is mawkish or sentimental. These are all beautifully realised and authentic teenagers and even more refreshingly the adults are actually, with exceptions, supporting, loving and trying to help! Ven’s unique and unforgettable voice tells a story with a message of resilience and determination to find a new path when life sets you back, that we all need to hear.
A book which will allow young people living with disability to see themselves and that will give everyone greater empathy and understanding as well as being a truly enjoyable, entertaining read, is a book that all libraries must have.
An entirely original and much needed authentic perspective from a teenager coming to terms with her disability as she's coming of age.
Read the full description
Ven has her future all planned out. Her dance group is going places and so is she . . . Then she collapses. On stage. In hospital, Ven discovers that she has a medical condition - one that threatens to ruin everything.
No more dancing . . . walking is challenging enough. But she doesn't want your pity. Ven is determined to have a big, exciting life. Sure, her future might be different, but it's not over . . . Because if you can't dance, you can always sing! Refreshing, uplifting and original, Sing if you Can't Dance is the unforgettable story of a teenager living life on her own terms.
A British-American citizen of Italian heritage, Alexia is an editor, teacher and writing consultant. After studying psychology then educational technology at Cambridge, she moved to New York to work on a Tony-award-winning Broadway show before completing a PhD and teaching qualification. In between, she worked as a West End script-critic, box-office manager for a music festival and executive editor of a human rights journal. House of Windows is her second book.
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An entirely original and much needed authentic perspective from a teenager coming to terms with her disability as she's coming of age. Ven has her future all planned out.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Sing If You Can't Dance and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
Sing If You Can't Dance features in the following genres: Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Romance / Relationship Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Featured Books for 13+ readers
Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
Sing If You Can't Dance was written by Alexia Casale and published by Faber & Faber
Sing If You Can't Dance has 332 pages
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
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