A young Black boy dreams of dancing in this exuberant, buoyant picture book celebrating the beauty of dance, and the wonder of Black Boy Joy—perfect for fans of Firebird and Crown !
Langston likes basketball okay, but what he loves is to dance—ever since he saw the Alvin Ailey Dance Company perform. He longs to twirl into a pirouette, whirl into a piqué. He wants to arabesque and attitude, grand battement and grand jeté. When he walks, the whole street is his stage.
With his neighborhood cheering him on, will Langston achieve his dream?
I LOVE this book - the writing, the illustrations and the messages it conveys are all beautiful! It is about following your dreams and believing in yourself, even if your path may be an alternative one. Author, Kaija Langley, and illustrator, Keith Mallett, gorgeously depict adults supportive of Langston's pursuit to become a ballet dancer, smiling and encouraging him every step...or leap...of the way! Langston seems to become happier and more confident as he follows the path he is drawn to. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and only wish there were more like this one out there!
I received When Langston Dances by Kaija Langley for Multicultural Children's Book day 2022. #ReadYourWorld
When Langston Dances could not be more timely. This is a beautifully written and illustrated story of a boy who follows his passion to dance ballet, even when he is the only boy in the dance class. Langston has a supportive mother and an encouraging dance teacher at his public school who let him know that he can be whomever he wants to be. I bought this book for my two young grandsons and I'm spreading the word about this inspiring book. It's a must read for every child, no matter their race or gender. Fingers crossed that the author and illustrator team for a sequel. Two Thumbs Up for When Langston Dances!
A glowing celebration of dance and movement. I love that Langston is not pigeonholed into anything: he likes basketball, he loves ballet, he shines at movement in general. I love that there is no shame in him wearing his basketball uniform to dance class, there is no shame in him no knowing how everything works at first, there's just a thoroughly welcoming atmosphere. An attitude of "come dance with us!"
The only major disappointment were the final pages, which strongly imply that Langston grows up to become a phenomenal dancer and for some reason that had me looking for backmatter (about the Alvin Ailey company, about a specific dancer who inspired this book, I'm not sure what I was looking for, but I turned the page with high expectations for something more and it just... ended). This was clearly my own personal problem, but it was still a letdown.
Overall, though this was a solid, enjoyable, positive read.
When Langston Dances is a great book to share with younger children. It tells the store of how a boy wants to do something that doesn't seem normal for a boy to do, ballet. He really wanted to do ballet, and he practiced all the time. When he got to the dance school, an older boy made fun of him for how he danced and told him that boys don't dance like that. Langston did get shy, but that didn't stop him from walking right up to the ballet class and joining in. He wasn't afraid to do what he truly wanted to, and in the end it paid off. I will use this in my classroom to show the children that they can do whatever they want in their lives, no matter what anyone says. Their happiness should be the number one thing, and if they're doing something that makes them happy, then that's amazing and they should continue to do it, no matter what anybody says. It can teach them confidence to go out and try something different, and to be confident in themselves.
Vivid, beautiful, and almost a little spooky in its character depictions. When I turned the page and saw the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre performers, I wondered if I'd seen those EXACT people artist Keith Mallett depicted! I think kids will enjoy the young dancer's journey from dream to taking a class, and I appreciated how tightly the story was crafted around singular moments --watching the professional dancers, entering the classroom, trying on dance slippers for the first time, etc. The pages are high gloss --I almost didn't want to touch them and smudge them all up! Libraries are going to keep this one on top of the shelves for months.
This book is about a boy named Langston who discovers a love for ballet after seeing a ballet performance. He decides to pursue dancing but is met with criticism from the kids at his school, saying that boys should not dance like this. He still decides to go to dance class and is accepted and encouraged once they see him dance. He works hard and lives his dream of dancing ballet. This book shows the importance of following your dreams even when faced with judgment which is a great message and could be utilized in the classroom with young learners. It's story also shows a child facing and defeating gender stereotypes.
Beautiful pictures, and simple text will facilitate use of this for a preschool storytime. This would also be a lovely book for personal use between caregiver and child. Langston knows what he wants and he is helped in his journey to hone his skill and love of dance. Very affirming for black boys. Recommended.
Flipping this the pages of this book, I was reminded of when I witnessed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform. Seeing the limber bodies of these dancers— fluidly interpreting the joyous and sometimes even sorrowful songs my ancestors through movement. I saw myself in a different way from that moment on. And though I’m not the greatest dancer the tradition of rhythmic movement within the Black community is glorious. And to see this represented in a children’s book for young Black boys brought a smile to my face.
There are any number of great dance books coming out this fall, but this is the only one that left me with goosebumps. Langston dancing at home and in the streets may not be like "all the other guys", but for sure guys dance like that -- he's seen the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. So he walks right past the classrooms of tappers (those are my people, to be sure), the hip hoppers, the African dancers, and joins a room full of pink tutus and leaps into action to earn his ballet shoes. (PS I have an elementary school friend, Alicia Graf Mack, who was on Alvin Ailey billboards some years ago. Dream big, and go for it!!)
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Hello, friends! Our book today is When Langston Dances, written by Kaija Langley and illustrated by Keith Mallet, a wonderfully empowering tale of one boy’s passion for dance.
Langston likes basketball, but after attending an Alvin Ailey performance, he finds that he LOVES ballet. Having a newfound passion for dance, and with his mother’s ready support, Langston begins practicing poses and moves at every opportunity. He does his best to brush off negative comments, throwing himself into his first dance class in a way that stuns his fellow students and impresses his new teacher. Being a ballet dancer will take work, but Langston is ready – he LOVES to dance.
Majestic. While ballerina books are readily available, ones with male and/or POC protagonists are rare, making this a uniquely inclusive title from the jump. But it is the work of Langley and Mallett that elevate this story of self-acceptance, passion, and pride to a must-read. Langley’s energetic text captures Langston’s irrepressible love for ballet, while deftly and delicately tackling outdated ideas about masculinity. Mallett’s photorealistic illustrations are incredibly engaging – one can see the love in Langston’s mother’s eyes, the pride in ballet teacher Ms. Marie’s smile, and the unfettered joy in Langton’s graceful movements. The final few pages are simply breathtaking, and perfectly capture the exuberance one feels when doing the thing that most brings them happiness – all the more powerful when that someone is a young black boy expressing himself without reservation. The length is great for an elementary storytime, and JJ and I absolutely loved it. Simply put, a fantastic book with the potential to be a modern-day classic, and we highly recommend it. Baby Bookworm approved!
(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
The joy of dancing comes across with a sense of freeness and fun in this lovely illustrated read.
Langston likes basketball, but after he watches dancers perform on a stage, he discovers what he adores—dancing. He dances everywhere he goes, twirling, leaping and twisting. Despite some teasing, he's happy when his mother signs him up for classes at the dance studio. From one class to the next, he watches the various forms of dance until there's one he can't wait to jump in and join.
Ballet isn't often considered as the normal dance form for boys, but this book shows that it is...and that with wonderful finesse. Langston never, ever comes across as girly. The entire time through, he wears a basketball uniform. Even during a ballet class as he stands between the girls in their pink leotards, Langston smiles and does his positions while wearing the basketball uniform. This is clever in that it subtly steers listeners away from thoughts that Langston isn't a usual boy.
The illustrations are very true to life and show Langston as a normal kid with normal family and friends. He always radiates positivity and a love for what he does, no matter what those around him say. This already is inspiring. Even the support he gets from his mother and teacher keep everything bright.
The last scenes inspire and allow the full delight of Langston dancing to unfold and, through the illustrations, leave all possible negative thoughts far behind.
It's well done and a read that leaves a smile on the face (and dreams blooming in the heart). I received a complimentary copy and found this to be such a inspiring read.
This book focuses on an African American boy who discovers his love of dance. At the beginning of the story, the boy lives his life for basketball. When his mother takes him to a dance performance, though, he realizes his true passion for dance. Even though he experiences backlash and torment from his peers for his dancing, the boy's mother pushes him to follow dreams and continue dancing. When he arrives at the dance studio, the boy explores the different dance styles that are taught, but is set on taking ballet. He joins the class, even though it is typically only meant for girls. His teacher pushes him to be the best dancer he can be, and she provides him with special black ballet shoes to use. He goes on to dance in front of his class, which leads him to dancing on the stage in front of his mother. I can use this text in my class to show students that they are capable of following their dreams, no matter what anyone may tell them. I will use this text as an example of how everyone may have a passion for something unique to them. No matter what anyone may tell them that stops them from achieving this goal, I will use this text to show how the boy did not give up and followed in his dreams. This led to his happiness and success in dance.
This book is a wonderful pick for exploring gender norms and conformity in a kid-friendly manner. Children will be inspired by Langston, a young boy who falls in love with ballet and works hard to achieve his dreams of being a dancer. Seeing supportive adult figures like his mom and ballet teacher will encourage children to pursue the hobbies and interests that make them happy, no matter who traditionally does them, because they will see that there are adults who will support them. The life-like illustrations with watercolor-like backgrounds paint beautiful pictures across the whole story, drawing more readers in. Children will learn that gender barriers shouldn't keep us from our passions and that hard work is what is needed to achieve our dreams.
I would use this book in my classroom to teach children that their gender doesn't have to stop them from doing what they love, such as in Langston's case of dancing as a boy. This will create a more inclusive classroom environment when children know that they are accepted for who they are.
YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK and so does every little boy (and girl) that you know!! This book is SOOOOO incredible. I received "When Langston Dances" by Kaija Langley for Multicultural Children's Book Day, and I was completely blown away. It is such an incredible book. Having taken 15 years of dance growing up, I know how much of a stigma there is about boys not being ballerinas. In fact, when I started to share the book with my library classes, it really opened up some interesting discussions and made me realize just how much of a "no-no" it is for many little boys. But by the end of the book, the little boys that laughed when I said it was a book about a boy ballerina were standing up and wanting to try out the different moves that Langston does in the book. This is such an amazing book and the illustrations really make it relatable for everyday little boys. I am completely in love with it. #ReadYourWorld
"When Langston Dances" is a story about a little boy named Langston who played basketball. However, once Langston went to a ballet, he wanted to dance like the male dancers he saw on stage. With his mother's support, he danced around town until one boy said that boys don't dance like that. Langston ignores him and heads to a dance studio where he is drawn towards the ballet room full of girls. The teacher finds him a pair of ballet shoes and tells him he has to earn them. Langston dances and dances and is very happy. I think this is a great story that breaks down gender norms, similar to the story "John's Turn". Boys think they have to do activities that are seen as masculine and it's important for little boys to be exposed to texts that shows boys doing what makes them happy, despite what others say. I think this text would prompt a great discussion about everyone's true aspirations and if they feel like they can with society's norms.
This book is a beacon of acceptance and empowerment. A wonderful book about ignoring the naysayers and following one's heart and passion. After a young black boy accompanies his mother to the Alvin Ailey Dance Company and sees male and female dancers of many ethnicities, he falls in love with ballet. His joy and love of dance evident in every inch of Langston's being. He can't help but dance. Until a bit of doubt is sown by another boy. Ultimately, Langston charges toward his dream and never looks back. The book does an excellent job embracing diversity in the almost portrait-like illustrations and its quick nod to other forms of dance. This is an excellent book for any child - boy or girl - (or adult) whose passion in a career, activity, or sport bucks any societal or gender norm! It is affirming and encouraging; radiating the sheer joy of pursuing one's dream.
Langston fell in love with dance, especially ballet, after him and his mother watched a community ballet dance performance together. He was so excited that his mother signed him up for ballet classes at the community rec center that Langston danced his way there. Langston already knew a lot of poses but his dance instructor told him that he will have to work hard and never give up. Langston did not give up!
I am happy that Kaija wrote this up lifting story about a boy who wants to learn to be a ballet dancer. I appreciate that she is challenging stereotypes and gender norms set by society that ballet is a female dance. I do hope young boys can see that any kind of dance is natural, did does not judges a person's sex. I think this will be a great conversational starter to break down gender roles that boys are suppose to "follow".
Perhaps it isn't an easy story to tell, but Kaija Langley makes it seem easy. Langston liked basketball but when his mother took him to see a performance by the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, he is in awe. He asks his mother if she thinks he can dance like that, who answers, "You can do whatever you set your mind to doing." Langston begins, practices before his mirror, finally goes to his first ballet class. As they say, and the beautiful realistic illustrations by Keith Mallett show, the rest is history! Others don't think boys dance like that, but Langston does! It's a wonderfully inspiring story for anyone who wants to do something others might want to deny. (It reminds me of the older British movie Billy Elliot. If you haven't seen it, do!)
"Langston liked basketball, but he adored ballet." His mother had taken him to see a performance of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company and Langston was hooked. He wanted to dance like that. He practiced every day in front of his mirror, and eventually enrolled in a dance school where his teacher had been waiting for him. Boys can dance ballet too!
A terrific story, but oh! the illustrations! Rendered digitally by the amazing Keith Mallett, Langston flies, spins, and kicks in progressive pictures that show all his graceful movements. Incredible. His mom's face is so perfect - such love and support. Today's children can be anything they want, and "When Langston Dances" shows that.
This book made me very emotional because Langston is just a boy who loves to dance, however there are people in society who feel that "boys don't dance like that". Langston feels discouraged because of this but he has an amazing support system with his mother who encourages him to be and do whatever he wants to, and later his ballet teacher who finds his dancing beautiful. The illustrations in this book also stood out to me because they never took up a full page, however they were filled with so much detail and realism, that it made the story really come to life for me. This is a book that I will definitely read to my future students because it shows all of them that they can and should be whoever or whatever they want to be, and to fight back to what society deems as "normal".
This book is about a boy, Langston who loves the dance ballet. He watched male ballerinos at the beginning of the story and fell in love with the dance. A boy at school made fun of Langston for liking ballet telling him that it's for girls. Even after being made fun of Langston still went to the dance studio and saw the different classes of dance until he got to his ballet class. Langston fit right in and was able to do the moves the teacher was happy and all the girls in the class were impressed by his moves. Langston continued his passion and grew up to be a ballerino. In the future I would use this book at the beginning of the year to show children this is a safe, welcoming, inclusive classroom. I would use this book to show children to be kind and that all our friends are different and like/ do different activities. Just because they are different doesn't mean that we will treat them any differently than our other friends.
When Langston Dances is a story about a young boy who decides he wants to dance in the ballet.I truly appreciate how Langston's mother was supportive of him in this story, and how pushback on Langston's dreams was not a central part of the story, as we see so often in stories where someone makes a decision we may not have seen many times before in books. This book can be truly inspiring for the boys and girls reading, in affirming their endless opportunities. For this reason, I'd love to read this story to my future classroom on any given day. More specifically however, I may recommend this book to a student I know has been struggling externally with how they choose to spend their free time.
Langston likes basketball okay but when his mother takes him to see a dance company he falls in love with ballet. He practices every day in the mirror until on his way to his first dance class he's ready to dance his way there and let the world see his ballet-ish moves. When a boy says, "Boys don't dance like that" he's able to say that's not true and in his ballet class he finds a place to belong (despite the rest of the class being girls).
I do wish there was at least one other boy in the class but maybe it's currently so rare for boys to dance ballet that in many beginning classes they are the only ones.
Overall a beautiful book about a little boy finding an activity he loves.
The art in this just gobsmacked me. It's drop dead gorgeous. Langston is such an adorable boy you will want to scoop him off the pages and hug him. But wait, there is so much more to adore about this book. It's in the beauty of the bodies, the relationship between mother and child, the joy in the child's face, the challenging of gender norms. The first time his mother takes him to see a ballet, Langston falls in love with dance. He practices in front of his mirror. On the way to his first class he shows off his moves to everyone he meets. The end moves us into the future where we see Langston as a young man dancing on a stage.
After watching the Alvin Ailey Dance Company perform, Langston falls in love with ballet. Photorealistic illustrations depict his dips, kicks, and spins down the street and into dance school.
When Langston Dances is an affirming book. A boy can like sports (such as basketball) and also love dance. It acknowledges, through a passing kid, that some people think boys “don’t dance like that.” But Langston doesn’t allow the comment to deter him. He has seen men dance ballet, and he knows he wants to do the same. The story proceeds to show diverse kids, both boys and girls, doing various forms of dance at the school. Supportive adults include Langston’s mother and dance teacher.
What I love most about this book is Langston’s sheer joy and love of dance. He looks most alive when he’s dancing, and it made me want to dance too.
The cover alone rates FIVE STARS. What a gorgeous image by Keith Mallett! Perfect grace is shown here, all the way down to dancer Langston's fluttering shoelaces and the abstract imagery of color that he leaves behind him as he moves through space.
Oh, I teared up when Ms. Marie told the young dancer, "I've been expecting you, Langston."
Wonderful affirmation of creativity awaits readers of this story by Kaija Langley. Equally, a joyful willingness to express life shows in those radiant images by Keith Mallett. Here's to the artistry in each creative person, here's to celebrating that whenever we can!
This book is about a little boy named Langston who falls in love with dancing when his mother takes him to see a ballet performance. The book shares how excited Langston is feeling to start his first ever dance class, when on the way he meets a boy who tell him "dancing is not for boys". This makes Langston nervous, and he wonders if we will see anyone like him at the dance studio. He makes it to his class, and his teacher gives him a special pair of ballet slippers, this makes Langston excited and ready to dance. I would use this book in my classroom to discuss the topic of "boy things" and "girl things", I think this book is perfect to show young kids that they really can do anything.
Langston is a little boy that loves basketball and then started loving dance as well. He fell in love with dance after his mom took him to a dance company show. He then practiced in the mirror all the steps he saw on stage and wanted to enroll in some dance classes. When he got there, he walked by each room and saw different styles of dance being taught. He then walked into the ballet class and the teacher noticed he didn’t have the proper ballet shoes. She then gave him some old ballet shoes and the class continued on and he fit right in and was so happy to be practicing ballet. It will teach students about dance as a whole and following their passions in life.
I loved this story. The illustrations are beautiful, the story is moving, and overall I loved this book. We follow a boy who plays basketball but watched ballet dancers one day and saw their passion. He felt that he could dance as well and that it could be his passion. His mother immediately told him he could do anything, and even when a kid at school tried to say otherwise, he didn't back down. He went to dance, explored various dance options, and stumbled across ballet, where he now continues to dance. This story is so impactful, and I would love to have this in a future classroom of mine. Children can be anything they set their mind to, and stereotypes shouldn't stop anyone.
This book follows the journey of a young boy and his love of dance. The story follows his journey of discovering this love, dealing with hardships of bullying, and overcoming all of this and falling in love with barre dancing. He stays true to his love of dancing and works hard to eventually become a real dancer on stage. I would implement this book into my regular classroom library and use it as a tool to spark discussions around hobbies and how hobbies don't have an assigned gender or look. This is also a great book to encourage students to try different activities that they may not think they 'can' do.