House of Dance

by Beth Kephart

Rosie and her mother coexist in the same house as near strangers. Since Rosie's father abandoned them years ago, her mother has accomplished her own disappearing act, spending more time with her boss than with Rosie. Now faced with losing her grandfather too, Rosie begins to visit him every day, traveling across town to his house, where she helps him place the things that matter most to him "In Trust." As Rosie learns her grandfather's story, she discovers the role music and motion have played in it. But like colors, memories fade. When Rosie stumbles into the House of Dance, she finally finds a way to restore the source of her grandfather's greatest joy. Eloquently told, National Book Award finalist Beth Kephart's House of Dance is a powerful celebration of life and the people we love who make it worthwhile.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Chick Lit, Family, Teen

263 pages, Hardcover

First published May 27, 2008

About the author

I'm the award-winning writer of more than two-dozen books in multiple genres—memoir, middle grade and young adult fiction, picture books, history, corporate fable, and books on the making of memoir.

I'm also an award-winning teacher at the University of Pennsylvania, co-founder of Juncture Workshops, and an essayist and critic with work appearing in The New York Times, Life magazine, Ninth Letter, Catapult, The Millions, The Rumpus, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and elsewhere.

Please visit me at junctureworkshops.com or bethkephartbooks.com.

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

You cannot buy a man who is dying a single meaningful thing. You can only give him back the life he loved, and wake up his memories. (98)

Rosie, our narrator, is fifteen the summer she learns her grandfather is dying of cancer. And so begins Rosie's daily journeys, he lives across town. A walk or quick bike ride away. It is this then that she begins to learn his life stories, to see him in a whole new light, to rediscover what his life was all about. She begins to take inventory of his life--of his house, of his possessions. With almost everything there is a story. Some things are placed "In Trust." Other things are thrown away. Each day is an adventure. Each day is a gift.

Rosie develops a special bond with her grandfather and begins to love him or understand him in a way she hadn't before. When she stumbles into a dance studio--near his home--she decides to do something uncharacteristic for her. She decides to take dance lessons, private dance lessons. She hopes to give him a party to celebrate his life, to show him just how much she loves him. "The dance was alive. That was what I knew. The dance was something whole. The dance was hope, and hope was what I needed most of all the summer my granddad died. Hope was what I began to put In Trust, above all other things. Hope, which comes in all the brightest colors." (92)

Why did she choose dance? Ballroom dance? Her grandmother loved to dance, loved to wear red, loved to be vibrant. And her grandfather loved to watch her. Loved to listen to music--music from the Rat Pack, for example, and other legends in jazz and swing.

Rosie's life is far from perfect. There is her absentee mother that is in a relationship with a married man. A woman who cares more for her foolish love affair than taking care of her own father. It is Rosie--not her mother--that tends to him, visits him, loves and adores him. We don't see a full picture of Rosie's life. We don't see her interacting with her best friends, flirting with cute guys, going shopping, etc. We see a small slice of Rosie's life. We see a tender and intricate relationship developing between grandfather and granddaughter.

Rosie may think her greatest gift was the gift of dance, the gift of celebrating him and his life one last time, but her greatest gift was her time, was herself. Their souls touched and danced that summer as they shared each day together.

Tender story. Loving portrayal of an ugly time. Dying isn't pretty. It can tear you up and bring you down. If you let it. Rosie found a way to bring hope and courage and integrity to the situation. And you've got to love that. I loved Rosie for her strength, her courage, her love. Great character. Great book.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm very mixed up about House of Dance. I've been wavering between a three and four. There were things I liked about it and a few I loved, but not much I hated. I did think it was too short and felt very much like House on Mango Street (which I did love).

Pros:

1. Rosie herself.

Insightful and witty, she has the ability to see the world through fresh eyes. The only good comparison to this narration style would be House on Mango Street. I actually think this is more effective.

2. The scenes between Rosie and her grandad.

They're funny, emotional, and so heartbreaking in a good way. There's closure and memories and stories that will go on because he is telling them to her.

3. Rosie and Nick.

Though I wish this romance had been more developed (you only really meet Nick once), it felt exciting and fresh like a long-awaited romance would.

4. The House of Dance characters

They just added another dimension to the story. This wasn't necessarily a book about dance, but the dance plays an important role, and what is dance without dancers?

Cons

1. Rosie's mom

I just never emphasized with her or understood her, not even at the end. She wasn't a good mother or daughter.

2. Length

This could've been fifty or so pages longer.

3. The tangents

In HOMST style, Rosie goes off on tangents about her life, her family, her friends, and her childhood. Sometimes this is helpful, but sometimes it drags the story along and hinders plot development.

4. The end

I never really understood why the whole town rallied for this party? Was it because Rosie's grandfather had lived there so long and knew everyone? This is never really elaborated on.

I guess I'll give it a four for now and tentatively recommend, especially for Mango Street fans.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosie isn't having the greatest summer and the worst thing is it just started. First of all her and her mom don't have the greatest relationship, all her friends are away and the worst thing is her grandpa is dying of cancer. Wanting to spend as much time as possible with him Rosie goes to his house, which is just across town, everyday. During the days with her grandpa not only does she talk with him, but she helps him clean out his cluttered house. As she is going through old things she starts to learn more about the life her grandpa, and for that fact her dead grandma, lived. On her way home one night Rosie hears music wafting through the air. As she looks up she sees magnificent dancers through the large windows. Now every time Rosie passes by The House of Dance she looks up to see the light steps of the dancers. One day Rosie plucks up the courage to go see for herself what the House of Dance is like and takes them up on their offer of one free lesson. Rosie falls in love with ballroom dancing and decides to keep it up. Through dance Rosie learns more about her grandpa's life and decides to give him the best gift she can.


The way I felt after reading this book is really hard to describe with words, it was just that amazing and fantabulous! Everything about it was just awesome. First I must start with the writing style. It was what I loved most about the book. Beth Kephart's words flowed so well together and they almost seemed to be lyrical. Also the description was great. I felt like I was walking right alongside Rosie, looking into the shop windows and smelling the breads at the bakery. Then the story itself was great. I loved how Rosie really came to find herself and learn to deal with difficult situations. I also loved Rosie's emotions in the book. They were really raw and heartfelt and made me just fall in love with Rosie herself. I highly recommend this book to everyone and I guarantee you will fall in love with it. One last thing that is barely book related but I want to talk about - the bookcover - Don't you think it is so cute? It represents the book perfectly in my opinion and just makes the whole book sparkle!

[Paige (Arya) · Rating 4 out of 5]

House of Dance by Beth Kephart 4 of 5 stars.

Rosie and her mother coexist in the same house as near strangers. Since Rosie's father abandoned them years ago, her mother has accomplished her own disappearing act, spending more time with her boss that with Rosie. Now faced with losing her grandfather too, Rosie begins to visit him every day, traveling across town to his house where she helps him place the things that matter most to him "In Trust." As Rosie learns her grandfather's story, she discovers the role music and motion have played in it. But like colors, memories fade. When Rosie stumbles on the House of Dance, she finds a way at last to restore the source of her grandfather's greatest joy. (book blurb)

House of Dance is a quiet, whisper of a story best read in the silent evening hours or under a blue sky with the wind creating a lulling backgrund. Its a story of love and life told from the far recesses of the mind with careful attention to detail, specifically of color

I enjoyed House of Dance as a rather relaxed read. Beth Kephart's writing style is very soft spoken. It deals with a lot of flashbacks and memories, the dialogue is fairly slim. Her details are always exquisite but I can't help lament the lack of action. The emotions are strong but they are portrayed by a character I feel I barely know. The story spends so much time on the people around her, Rosie turns into a bit of a blur. I kept hoping the story would build up to something more, but sadly, I never felt it get to that point. The characters, Rosie and her friend Nick in particular reminded me of the characters in one of Kephart's other books The Heart is not a Size to a point I could barely tell them apart.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that from the point of view of someone who loves the fastpaced high stake novels, this just felt awkward. Others might really enjoy it, but its not something I have any inclination to read again.

Review by Arya @ A Sea of Pages (http://seaofpages.blogspot.com) <

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm VERY hesistant about reading this. My last Kephart book nearly bored me to death. I don't want a repeat.

1/10/09:

Kephart's most notable is probably her writing. Lyrically strung, it sounds as if it belongs in a book of poems, not in a novel. This is the problem. Her noted presence of nature and its surroundings—little details that common folks don’t notice—makes it sound too fluent and mature in a story. It loses the regular portrayals of teenagers and struggles—rather, it presents us with a perceptive fifteen year old that is way in tuned with nature and everything which 1) is unrealistic, and 2) boring. Who wants to read a story about a girl who seems to know everything already?

That’s another problem. It’s soo hard to get into. It took me about eighty pages to get hooked, but after I stop and resume a few hours later, I’ve lost the storyline, the characters, and the writing. It’s just become uninteresting and flat. I expected action, but got more agitated feelings instead. I would like more action, please. Especially with Nate. There were all these memories that Rosie shared, but most of them involved Nate being observatory and shy and not being a talker. I kept waiting for him to be insightful—heck, I kept waiting for his dialogue!—and only found a tiny paragraph or so in the ending chapters that stars him in his talking role. And this is the boy that Rosie likes. Granted, it’s not a novel about Rosie’s crush, but still—it’s completely unrealistic.

So, not nearly as terrible as Undercover but I was still not satisfied. It just didn’t hook me at all. I guess I was right in being hesistant after all.

[Janessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

House of Dance spans a summer of Rosie's life, and carries with it the slow, listless feel of long summer days. Rosie's closest friends are all busy working, her mother has found a new life for herself in an affair with her business partner (the window glass cleaner Rosie refers to as "the Bald One,"), and Rosie is left with no other company than her Grandpa, who is ill. She finds purpose for her days by helping her grandfather sort through the accumulated piles of trash and treasures that make up his life. She listens to his stories about his wife, who has passed on, and finds an anchor for herself in the sense of security and love his stories provide. What she fails to see, or refuses to acknowledge, is that his health is rapidly deteriorating. When a hospice nurse arrives to care for him, Rosie is shocked and angry. Once she accepts how gravely ill her grandfather really is, the meaning of time changes for her, and the endlessly long days of her summer suddenly become much too short. Instead of watching and waiting as time passes by, she takes her savings and begins dance classes, inspired by her grandfather's stories about dancing with his wife. With the help of the people she meets at the House of Dance, she plans a dance program for her grandfather. She invites her mother to help her, and takes the risk of including Nick, her childhood friend, in her plans. No longer content to wait for love, she lets him know that she cares for him. She cannot stop time, or heal her grandfather, but she learns the truth of what her mother has said in the past about grief, abadonment and pain -- that "taking care was a cure."

[Kerfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This YA book seemed eerily familiar to me when I started it; only after I had finished it did I realize that I had just read another of the author's books, the adult non-fiction "Ghosts in the Garden".

It was not just the setting (Philadelphia area) or the writing style (quiet and observant of the natural world), but the tone. The first descriptive word that comes to mind for both is "sweet". But a good kind of sweet.

There is an innocence to this story of a teenage girl connecting with her dying grandfather that is refreshing. Not that the main character, Rosie, has an untroubled life--she and her friends have modern broken families, where bad decisions are made and neglect shows many faces. But her small town with its knowledge of her and her family and its safety net of long-term relationships is able to support her and provide a way to keep her from falling through the cracks or falling apart.

Erring on the side of promise, the author shows that hope can exist along with despair. Even though "Nothing that you ever do will erase the thing that you've done" you CAN step back and try again. There is a new way, a different way; relationships can be rearranged, "beyond and past regrets".

"When you haul away the clutter that cannot matter anymore, you change the size and shape of things, the possibilites."

And there are always possibilities.

[Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why I rated this book 3 stars:
1)It's not that the book was badly written; I just don't like the author's style of writing.
2)There is a plot in the book, but to me it's not a very interesting plot. I like the idea that she wants to give her grandfather one last present, but again, it wasn't interesting.
3)The main character is obviously a very observant person, i tend to like characters who are observant of the world around them. However, there is such thing as too much detail. When a whole page is describing detail, it's way too much.
4)The book was just so bland. I'm not even going to elaborate on that, it just was.

Why the book wasn't that bad:
1) The character wasn't self involved like characters in many stories are today.
2) The plot would've been good had it been more interesting.
3) I like Rosie's relationship with her grandfather. I've never had a grandfather, so it sort of helps me to picture what it would be like if I did.
4) The whole idea of sorting out the grandfather's stuff into boxes, and how it's the little things that matters to him, was something that i really liked.
5) Rosie's present to her granfather was really thoughtful.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by The Compulsive Reader for TeensReadToo.com

Rosie Keith is in for a long summer. Her friends are all scattered for the three months at various jobs and camps, and her mother is hardly ever home, preferring to spend time with her business partner, who is also the man she is having an affair with. So Rosie turns to her grandfather, who is dying of cancer.

During those long summer days, she helps Granddad clean through his multitudes of possessions, placing things to keep In Trust. It is on one of those day she discovers The House of Dance, and begins taking lessons there, hoping to put In Trust again a few of Granddad's long-ago memories before he is gone for good.

HOUSE OF DANCE is a distinct and intense look at Rosie's life, her losses, and how her family reacts to same. Kephart's words are lyrical and her incisive style propels the reader easily through the book. Her in-depth look at illness and foreshadowing of death are very realistic and heartfelt. You will find yourself relating easily to Rosie, and admiring her strength in this wonderfully crafted novel.

[Anna Schroeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that is worth heading over to the bookstore to get instead of waiting for the library to get it. It will grab you with the first chapter and have you reading until the end.

Rosie's emotions are real in this story. They don't seem fake at all. Also, the descriptions are really nice. I felt like I was there with Rosie as she traveled, as she cleaned out her grandfather's house, and when she was with Nick.

One thing that I liked a lot about this book was that it didn't focus solely on romance. Don't get me wrong, I love reading romance books, but it was nice to read a book where you don't hear about the guy sucking off the girl's face all the time. The romance in this book was really subtle - the author didn't mention it much, but it was inferred, so that you knew it was happening.

The book has really good meaning to it. It is definitely something that I will read again in my future.

[Reader17 Der · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this book. This is a story about Rosie a teenage girl who during the summer break finds out he Grandfather is dying. Since her mother is busy, she is asked to help her Grandfather out. While helping her Grandfather go through his stuff she stumbles on a dancing school called House of Dance. Where she starts to take dancing lessons. What I enjoyed about this book is how the author dealt with everything a person goes through when they find out someone they love is dying. The Sadness, mad, lonely, wanting to be there for them, spending time with them. The other thing I liked is the author had side stories of Rosie's past experience her the shore, flying paper planes, and others. I thought it was a great way to show how people remember things in the past and what is important what is not.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished HOUSE OF DANCE this morning and I am still savoring it. Where were books like this when I was a young adult (many years ago)? The story of near-adult Rosie, abandoned (literally) by her father and (figuratively) by her mother and reaching out to her dying grandfather, resonates on its own, but it is the captivating writing that makes the book unforgettable. With tender insights, crisp descriptions and a succulent, tangible sense of place, HOUSE OF DANCE is a deeply radiant gem.

FYI, Beth Kephart is a GoodReads author and I highly recommend checking out her profile, where you will find a link to her lovely, insightful personal blog, one of my new favorite visiting places out there on the Web.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love the way Beth Kephart structures her novels. Her poetic lines are scattered throughout the pages, catching you unaware and leaving you with a smile on your face. This story is very sweet and poignant. I liked the main character and the journey she took through the course of the book. I cried while reading this book, not sobs of extreme sadness, but more like tears glistening down my cheek as I read the final pages. It is hard not to be a fan of Beth Kephart after reading this book. I would definitely recommend House of Dance.

*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2008...

[Maya Ganesan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. Is there even a way to describe how amazing this book is?

After reading only one of her books, Beth has made her way into my "favorite authors" list. This is only the second book that has ever made me cry, and the heartfelt, touching language made me tear up. I let the tears go, fast, flowing, because the story was just so beautiful and moving.

This is the story of one girl's attempt to bring the color, the memories, of her dying grandfather back into his life.

Written in a fluid manner that brings life and the world we live in to a unique and brilliant perspective, Beth Kephart's tale is one that is not to be missed.

[Priya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up actually liking this book, despite my first opinions on this. The beginning was a little boring for me, with several interesting-but-lengthy descriptions. But as I read farther, I got a bit more engrossed in the book, and I WANTED to know what happened to Rosie. Newer characters with interesting personalities were finally introduced. The plot was building, it was the climax, and then I felt that the book ended a little abruptly. I wish that there was either an epilogue or a sequel to kind of complete the story, but I like how the ending was mysterious and made the reader create their own ending.

[Hope Shutt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book confuses me. I felt like I knew the characters extremely well, and yet I felt I knew nothing about them. I loved the prose, yet at times I was left confused. I enjoyed the story, yet at times I found myself slightly bored. Fortunately due to its short length none of these things really mattered. It was a sweet story with lovable characters and for the most part beautiful writing. I found it similar to the other book I read by Beth Kephart, Dangerous Neighbors. Not my favorite book, but an enjoyable quick read with lovely characters and prose.

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book house of dance is about a girl named Rosie who doesn't really have parents to keep her company. Her mom is absent and her dad sends her 20 dollars a week. Rosie is planning on being with her grandpa this summer when she finds something strange about him. He is very ill. towards the end of the story, after of course she listens to his life story, Rosie finds herself in ballroom dancing to make her grandfather feel "better." I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to mostly girls. It shows how Rosie really cares for her grandfather.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Just one curse word, better, better:) When ever I look back on this book, I'd hear a slow, sweet, sad song. This book, about a girl, her boyfriend, her grandad, her mom, her mom's married suiter (words of Rosie, a loser) and sickness. Her mom, and her before than her after, start this story. Throughout you get glimpses into the past life of Rosie, what made her into the person she is. An absorbing read that would interest anybody, not just about dance, but about the things expressed through dancing.

[Terry]

Having just finished a YA chick lit novel about self-centered teens, it was serendipity that I picked up this one. I needed a book with real characters ... and this one has that. Rosie is front and center, as she tells the story. However, there are other players who have influenced or are helping her that help round out the story.

To read our full review, go to This is a YA novel with adult appeal.

[mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

What really interested me in this book were the different relationships and how the theme of "caring will cure" is explored. Rosie has a lot of people caring for her while she cares for her family, both her grandfather and her mother.

The House of Dance was a lovely book. A nice change from all the romantic teen love stories out right now. Instead, a family love story, about a girl and her grandfather, and her and her mother.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely amazing, touching what's real and true in rich, poetic language.

In the summer that Rosie's grandfather is dying, Rosie is drawn to the House of Dance, where she learns the dances that were so important to her grandfather and his wife Aideen.

I can't really say much more, except that you'll want to read this book in a quiet place, maybe a place with a bit of color and sunlight and a few fresh dahlias.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

What struck me most was the intense sadness and pain of this book, how regret was a character present in every scene. The entire cast is part of an abandoned world, but goes on because that's what one does. The dance and color should be symbolic of hope - and in the final scene, there is hope alongside death and pain. What I loved was that it was left so unresolved with the words "Step forward then...and let it happen." No hope but also no need for a sequel.

[Miss Clark · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was sucked down into The Bog because I did not connect with the narrator or the story. The writing was not my style and I did try to stick it out and see if it improved, but it wasn't, at all, so I gave up and left it unfinished. I found it boring, the writing very minimalist and narrow in scope, without anything to grab my attention or make me feel that this was worth my time.

For me, not at all. The rest of the world? Totally up to you...

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosie's grandfather is dying and she has been recruited by her mom to help him out in whatever way he needs. She starts to visit him everyday and clean out his stuff. In the process she learns that her grandmother, whom she never knew, loved to dance. Rosie decides to take dance lessons to give her grandfather a party that will bring him pleasure. In recruiting people to help her, she brings everyone closer. Good read.

[Gmr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tinged with sadness but with an overall zest for life, this one will definitely have you taking stock of those you need and those you love in life. The writing style though....to me didn't quite flow. Still, I appreciate the underlying messages and the way the author describes things through the characters eyes in such detail and color. She truly shares a story that will leave readers with much to ponder after the last page is turned.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's May--time for Kim's readathon! Can she catch up to her 200 book pace? It's looking good with my first library haul. Two back catalog Beth Kephardt's--always worthy.
Rosie's summer is centered around her dying grandfather, and she takes the slow time to figure out lots about life and how it is best lived. Kephardt has a slow, steady touch with characters and events, and I savor every word.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite, but I'd read this again. The wording was great and so was the style, but I felt there were a lot of aspects that were vaguely mentioned but never resolved (or held a purpose) and it could have told the reader what was going on a little more.
Aside from that, it almost had a Lit Fic feel, which I really liked. Lit Fic isn't an excuse for vagueness but I'd say it redeemed it pretty well. Heck, I never want to rate a book 4 stars unless it zings. This book was really good.

[Rhea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quiet and sad and beautiful and moving. Never lapses into cliche. Almost perfectly captures a girl's emotions and reaction to a difficult part of her life. It has a couple of flaws; for example, in many places the author doesn't quite nail a certain aspect of the storyline. But that doesn't matter, at least to me - I know I have read a good book when I feel a sadness when I finish it, which is what I feel now - sad that I have to leave these characters behind.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

My interruptions are many these days, so a desire to read a book straight through, when distractions wave at every turn,comes rarely. Yesterday I shooed off distractions because this enchanting story wrapped its arm around me. Beth's beautifully-crafted teen book can be enjoyed by early teens to adults. I hope the upcoming book awards recognize this jewel of 2008.

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Very clean YA novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing but I felt it lacked a climax. It ends right as the action begins. It is a short read so give it a shot if you want something reflective.