Elettra

by Brian Freschi, Elena Triolo (Illustrator)

After moving, Ellie feels lonely in her new class. Mom has a solution, the girl needs to join the school’s sports team to make friends. There is only one problem, no matter what sport she tries Electra makes an utter fool of herself. In the middle of her misery, enchanted by her cousin’s ballet performance, Ellie suddenly knows what she wants more than anything, dancing. If only mom could agree.
A page turner, full of relatable conflicts, Ellie in First Position is a humorous, positive and heartwarming story about resilience, self-love, new experiences, and friendship. By the end of the book, Ellie doesn’t only learn to accept herself and her family, makes new friends and even has her first crush, but manages to deal with her bullies too.
Fans of The Babysitters Club, Fancy Nancy , or the Stepping Stones series will love Ellie in First Position .

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Sports, School, Friendship, Realistic Fiction, Family Life

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Brian Freschi, classe 1993, scrive racconti per la rivista online “L’Inquieto” prima di diplomarsi in sceneggiatura presso l’Accademia Internazionale di Comics a Firenze. Dal 2015 collabora con il collettivo Manticora Autoproduzioni (Der Krampus, Le Piccole Morti, Maison LàLà, Nessuno ci farà entrare) e con diverse realtà del fumetto italiano. Gli anni che restano (BAO Publishing) è il suo primo graphic novel.

Reviews

[Rosh · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who wants to dance but isn’t allowed to. A sweet story, but needed more depth. The exploration is too surface-level, even for a middle-grade read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Plot Preview:

After moving, Ellie struggles to find friends in her new class. Her only buddy is Chloe, her bestie from before. Ellie’s mom suggests that she join a sports team to make friends, but try as she may, Ellie isn’t made for sports. But when she sees a ballet movie and later a ballet performance, the idea of training in ballet sparks in her head. But Mom doesn’t consider ballet a sport. Will Ellie be able to fulfil her dream of becoming a ballerina? (You know the answer to that one!)

This graphic novel was originally published in Italian in 2021 under the title ‘Elettra’. This English translation was published in October 2023.

As I enjoy graphic novels and middle grade fiction, that cutie on the cover ensured that I would grab this book as soon as I could. At the surface level, the story is outstanding. However, the execution left me with mixed feelings. For most of the book, we get a lot of the whats but hardly any whys.

We know that Ellie’s family has shifted to a new house, which is why she has joined a new school. But why is her father in another city? How come Chloe (who is such an awesome character, btw!! I loved her!) is in the same new school as her? How does she know Chloe (Cousin? Mom’s friend’s daughter? Old school friend? Old neighbour?) How can Ellie and her brother visit their father so often if he is in another city? Are the parents separated or merely working in different locations? Multiple questions that are left unanswered.

Ellie’s passion is dance, but her mom adamantly refuses to consider ballet training, instead forcing her daughter to try out a great variety of sports to see what she enjoyed. While this is sadly realistic for many children, we never know why Ellie’s mother dislikes dance so much. This gap in our knowhow is a major issue as it is the foundation of the entire book. Her own husband, Ellie’s father, is a musician, so is that a factor in her resistance towards dance? No idea. Strangely, Ellie doesn’t ask her mother ‘Why?” except at the very end. Can you believe a child not asking “But why?” when something is denied them? The turnaround in the mother’s opinion is also abrupt, with her going from No to Yes within 3-4 panels.

The cover and the title suggest that ballet gets a prime position in the plot. But most of the scenes don’t even have ballet, directly or indirectly. The story is more about what Ellie does before she finally gets to ballet. Her forced attempts at various sports feel repetitive after a point. There are some minor plot arcs that don’t contribute to the overall story. We also have the typical school bully track; no novelty in it at all. I wish the story had been more focussed.

The translation seemed a bit iffy in places, though I am not sure if it is the translation that goofed up or the writing itself. The plot flow also seemed to have few gaps. The transition between scenes isn’t smooth, further felt because of the lack of chapter markings/title. There is also much passage of time over the course of the story, which is hinted at subtly through the change in seasonal outfits. Not sure how many middle-graders will realise the long timespan of the story as there are no major time clues provided.

There are some themes that I genuinely liked in this graphic novel. The resistance to sports (as a non-sporty person throughout my life, I felt Ellie’s pain during PE!), the passion for an art form, the need for regular practice, and the importance of pursuing what you love to do instead of what you have to do. But it also contained several ideas I don’t like seeing in MG fiction: kids lying to their parents, parents being dominant and aggressive without any reason provided, mother and father having no communication, and the crush on a classmate. What bugged me the most is that Ellie’s dad knew of her dancing dreams, but instead of speaking to her mom directly and sorting out the issue, he encourages Ellie to dance, thereby defying her mother. There’s no conversation shown between the parents at all.

The art is adorable. Ellie’s eyes are so big and expressive! I loved those long gravity-defying ponytails. Chloe was a doll! I simply adored her chubby cheeks and fancy hairstyles. It was also refreshing to see a plus-sized child character being drawn without any comments about her weight. There’s also a pigeon who seems to have its own parallel narrative in the background.

Basically, I did like the intent and the illustrations of this book, but I would have enjoyed it far better had the characters been sketched with greater depth and had the plot not had so many logical gaps. Ellie is cute, and Chloe is cuter still, but they don’t help in saving the meandrous and slow-moving plot.

2.5 stars.

My thanks to Marble Press for a complimentary copy of “Ellie in First Position”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||

[Marta Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
Julieta, com um brilho de entusiasmo e um coração cheio de inocência, esta é uma GN bastante divertida!
Leva-nos até à infância, quando confrontados com uma mudança, novas amizades e aceitação, bem como a convicção com que tomamos as nossas decisões.
Gostei bastante desta personagem <3

[Andrea Pole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellie in First Position is a graphic novel by Brian Freschi and illustrated by Elena Triolo. The titular character is a young girl who is having trouble fitting in after her family moves to a new town. Always awkward, Electra wonders how she will ever be accepted by her peers, who seem to value sports above all else. A night at the ballet and a new boy at school will turn things around, however, as Ellie discovers and embraces a newfound love for dance. Will she have the courage to follow her new passion and make some new friends along the way?

Ellie is such a relatable character, and her struggles will certainly resonate with young readers. I appreciate that this story is presented as a graphic novel, as it is sure to reach a potentially wider audience of fledgling bookworms.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Marble Press for an ARC.

[Reading Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Electra aka Ellie moves to a new town with her mom and brother after her parents get divorced. Ellie has trouble relating to her classmates. Her friends like to play sports while Ellie likes to read. Ellie's mom encourages her to try sports. Unfortunately she doesn't do well at playing sports. One of Ellie's friends dances ballet and starts to teach the group. Electra really enjoys dancing but her mom makes it clear that dancing is stupid and unworthy of her attention. I liked this book, its cute and the graphics are nice. Read to find out if Electra ever gets to 🩰.

[adel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toto bol tak neuveriteľne zlatý príbeh. Čítala som slovenský preklad z pera Lucie Nguyen.

Komiks je krásne spracovaný - scény sú pekne vyobrazené akoby išlo o snímky z filmu.

Samotný dej v zásade nie je nový alebo originálny, ale situácie sú popísané realistickým spôsobom a rozuzlenie je dojemné.

Elektra je dcéra rozvedených rodičov, ale dej sa neprispôsobuje tejto okolnosti. Namiesto toho, sa autori zameriali na jemné náznaky konfliktu - strach z toho sklamať rodičov, znemožniť sa, venovať sa tomu, čo nás skutočne baví, pretože to nie je dostatočne „užitočné“ alebo „to nie je skutočný šport“ - toto boli niektoré z myšlienok, ktoré sa mi podarilo zachytiť.

Súrodenecký vzťah medzi Elektrou a jej starším bratom je taktiež veľmi pekne zobrazený.

Priateľstvo medzi postavami je krásne, opísané s hádkami a humorom a so všetkým, čo k dospievaniu patrí.

Táto knižka bola ako pohladenie na duši, naozaj. Aj napriek tomu, že odporúčaný vek sa pohybuje okolo deviatich rokov, odporučila by som ju každému :D

[lapetitepritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

vorrei essere un disegno di elena triolo nella vita

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel follows Ellie, who is very awkward and clumsy when it comes to sports. Her mother encourages her to try a lot of different sports so that she can make friends with her teammates. However, Ellie only wants to draw and dance. She takes after her artistic father who is a musician. Ellie makes friends with some kids who take ballet classes, and secretly learns a few dance moves, but her mother refuses to pay for ballet lessons, saying all that frou-frou stuff is a waste of time. But Ellie knows that she could be good at dance if only she was given a chance!

I liked this graphic novel a lot! The artwork is colorful on every page, and the expressions of the characters are very dynamic and emotional. It really brings that emotional intensity to the story.

I liked that Ellie is struggling in the beginning, but she finds her balance, both with her friends and with her family. Both she and her mom have to learn to communicate better, and it's good to see how they both grow and learn.

I remember when I was a kid being forced to play sports at youth camp, and all I wanted to do was read and play piano. It was torture, and I was always scared that I would injure my hands and be unable to play piano the same ever again. I related to Elli's struggles quite a lot. I think a lot of artsy kids would too.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was enchanting! I had the privilege of reading an early draft of the English translation (before its official U.S. publication), and it was darling. Its target audience of 8-12 year-olds will relate to the parental pressure and adore the art in this graphic novel, especially those kids who are into dance or ballet. I also loved the positive/neutral representation of different body types.

[Kate Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gostei tanto. Nunca bem entendi quantos anos a Julieta tem, mas acho que a história vai ser boa para crianças entre 9 e 12 anos de idade. Foi bastante engraçado apesar das frustrações que Julieta vivencia E, como uma pessoa que nunca gostou muito de desporto, identifiquei-me muito com a situação de Julieta.

[Alba]

me ha encantado ☺️, es un libro genial y muy inspirador, me lo tragué en 1 día 😝

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel is so endearing. First, I want first to point out that I love the art, it's perfect for the story, not only the characters' design but the usage of color in a very clever way. 

There's a great balance between emotional scenes and humor, and the main character is not perfect: I love to see Ellie making mistakes only to redeem herself (and sometimes making the world better only with a little doodle). 

Ellie just moved to a new town and school where they only care about sports and she tries hard to belong and to find her place among it all, but she discovered that dancing is what makes her alive. In this story it is not only the children who make mistakes, I like when we get a glimpse of the adults' struggles too. I love the design of the pages and how the author and the illustrator complement humor in a panel with amazing characters (and small extras like that pigeon ahaha).

The cover is very simple and sweet, and the interior makes us smile with each page. There will be many readers who relate to Ellie, and older readers who will too (some will look back with nostalgia to those ballet lessons - that continued or not).

p.s- It's a great graphic novel to learn from for those who want to one day create their own and learn from this example of a good rhythm of storytelling and panel building. Praizes to the author and illustrator that found creative ways to show the passage of time/seasons. I will definitely be on the lookout for this author and illustrator to collect future projects.

Explores themes such as: moving to a new place with her Mom, dealing with parents who just got divorced, attending a new school, bullying, standing up for the things that are important, friendship, sports, ballet, innocent crush, humor, sailing through social relationships, learning to apologize, working hard for dreams.

[The Littles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by Brian Freschi (and translated by Nanette McGuinness), Ellie in First Position is a graphic novel about a young girl learning to find her place in the world.

After the divorce of her parents, Electra moves to a new home with her mother and brother. Adjusting to the recent changes, Ellie’s life is further complicated when a classmate persists with taunts and bullies. Thankfully, Electra’s friends, crush, and father continually support Ellie and inspire her to do what she loves: Dance.

Based on the childhood of the illustrator, Elena Triolo’s stylized graphics take center stage and breathe life to an otherwise repetitious tale. While providing appropriate conflict for a slice-of-life middle-grade novel, the continued disregard for her daughter’s talents and dreams casts Ellie’s mother as the primary antagonist and effectively compels the reader to seek her change of heart.

As is often the nature of translated works, not all of the jokes transfer the cultural divide. Still, emotionally intelligent children will have no problem understanding the nature between rivals or family conflicts.

With half the characters being as endearing as the others are unlikeable, this novel falls just above average both for myself and my child (age 9 - decided to opt out the third time Ellie’s mother pushed away her child’s dreams in favor of holding a grudge against her ex). Despite its redundancy, the story presents an opportunity for children to discuss the effects of a split-family, their dreams, moments they’ve encountered obstacles to their goals, and finding their place in the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Marble Press for a copy of this book an exchange for my honest review.

[magda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Znacie „Elektrę”? Nie? To może warto zaprzyjaźnić się z dziewczynką. Która jest w wieku szkolnym. W wakacje tuż przed rozpoczęciem nowego roku szkolnego przeprowadza się wraz z mamą i bratem do innego miejsca. Do dużego miasta. Za sobą pozostawia wszystko co kochała i co dawało jej poczucie bezpieczeństwa. Tatę, dom, przyjaciół.
W nowym miejscu jedyną „życzliwą duszą” jest jej kuzynka Kera. Nowi znajomi ze szkoły mają swoje „paczki” do których trudno przedostać się Elektrze, której zainteresowania znacząco odbiegają od większości dzieci. Uwielbia czytać a sporty do których uprawiania usilnie namawia ją mama w celu zwiększenia liczby znajomych, niestety nie są jej mocną stroną.
Jednak, życie naszej młodej bohaterki zaczyna się zmieniać na lepsze, gdy do klasy trafia nowy kolega Nic. Po pewnym czasie zaprasza ją do siebie aby pobawiła się z jego znajomymi. Jeden z nich ma zainteresowania, które pozostają w strefie marzeń Elektry. Dlaczego? Ponieważ jej mama nawet nie chce o nich słyszeć.
Książka ta napisana jest przez dwójkę autorów i stworzona w formie komiksu. Czyta się ją szybko a dzieci, które samodzielnie niechętnie sięgają po dłuższe formy tutaj na pewno odnajdą równowagę pomiędzy treścią i formą. A treść jest godna uwagi. W ostatnich czasach nasze życie ulega zmianom a co za tym idzie zmianom ulega również życie naszych dzieci, których świat w jednym momencie zaczyna się walić. Nie wszystkie pociechy z otwartymi ramionami wyczekują przygody i nie każde dziecko lubi i akceptuje zmiany. Ta książka czytana również przez dorosłych powinna zwrócić ich uwagę na baczniejsze obserwowanie własnych dzieci i to jak przeżywają każdy kolejny dzień bo nie tylko przeprowadzka w nieznane może być dla nich stresująca. Może to być każdy dzień w którym muszą się mierzyć z klasowymi „gwiazdami” a te niestety potrafią być okrutne dla innych których obiorą sobie za cel. Polecam.


Współpraca barterowa z Wydawnictwem Czarna Owca. Imprint to.tamto

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellie in First Position is a graphic novel that shares the story of Electra (Ellie) who has recently moved with her mother and brother. She is having a difficult time fitting in at her new school and has only one friend. All the kids are interested in sports and she is not good at any. She tries several and takes lessons, but nothing works for Ellie. She meets a new boy in school and he loves how she dances. He has a friend that is a ballet dancer and he begins to teach Ellie some moves. Ellie asks her mother if she can take ballet, but her mother shuts her off and doesn't really listen. Her father supports her desire, but he doesn't live with her. When it is Ellie's birthday, her mother has a party and sees Ellie dance. She is surprised at her skill. They finally talk and Ellie explains who she feels and why. Her mother finally listens and allows her to take ballet. Ellie finally finds her talent and with it, some new friends.

I didn't realize this was a graphic novel when I requested it, but it worked well. The story showed how kids can be bullied and teased because they like different things. Her mother and brother didn't listen to her, which can be very frustrating and demeaning to anyone. I liked that at least one of her classmates looked beyond her dislike of sports and saw the real Ellie. This book shows how important it is to find your own path and not force yourself to be something you're not to fit in. Ellie is a relatable character. Many people have tried to fit in at times and not been successful. Trying to find strengths and what we are good at, doesn't come easy to everyone and I liked how resilient Ellie was. A cute graphic novel with a good message. The illustrations were okay, not outstanding, but added to the story.

[marguerita.czyta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Czy kiedykolwiek czuliście, że nie pasujecie do miejsca, w którym teraz jesteście?

Muszę przyznać, że ja się czułam tak wiele razy, ale mimo to jestem za to wdzięczna. Dzięki temu wiem, że teraz jestem we właściwym miejscu, otoczona ludźmi, którzy mnie akceptują taką, jaka jestem.

Takie same emocje towarzyszyły dziewczynce imieniem Elektra, która się przeprowadziła, a to oznacza nowe środowisko, nową szkołę i nowych przyjaciół.

„Elektra” to pięknie zilustrowana opowieść, która trafia prosto do serca każdej osoby, która kiedyś czuła się „nie na miejscu”. Wszyscy znamy ten moment, gdy próbujemy się dopasować, próbujemy nowych rzeczy, czasem nawet wbrew sobie, by spełnić oczekiwania innych. Elektra zmaga się z poczuciem niedopasowania i brakiem pewności siebie. Mama ciągle namawia ją do uprawiania sportów, ale każda próba kończy się niepowodzeniem, co tylko potęguje jej frustrację.

Moment przełomu nadchodzi, gdy Elektra odkrywa balet. To właśnie wtedy zaczyna rozumieć, że kluczem do pewności siebie i poczucia spełnienia jest podążanie za swoimi prawdziwymi pasjami. Z czasem uczy się, że wierność sobie wymaga odwagi, ale daje niesamowitą siłę. Historię dopełniają ilustracje, które podkreślają emocje towarzyszące tej podróży, idealnie oddając zarówno smutek, jak i radość z odkrywania swojego miejsca na świecie.

„Elektra” to historia o odwadze, akceptacji siebie i sile marzeń, która zachęca do poszukiwania własnej drogi. Idealna lektura dla młodzieży, ale i dla dorosłych, którzy kiedyś sami stali przed wyborem pomiędzy oczekiwaniami innych a tym, co naprawdę grało im w duszy.

[Josephine Sorrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ellie’s mom is set on the fact that sports are the only way for her daughter to make friends.
After Ellie’s parents divorce, she, her older brother, Robbie, and their mother relocate. At the kids’ new school, Robbie fits in right away. Ellie, not so much. Her classmates are snarky and cliquish, and have no time for the new kid. The school has a strong athletic culture, and though Ellie prefers reading about the superhero Super Stella and watching movies, her mother’s convinced that playing a sport will help her make friends. But the fact is, poor Ellie is not so great at sports, still she tries volleyball, tennis, archery, and swimming. Her efforts all bomb. After each failure, she asks her mom if she can take dance lessons. Her father, who visits and calls, is sympathetic, but her mother thinks dance is too competitive and a distraction from school. To me her mother is closed minded and hard headed. Ellie’s first crush and a small group of artsy friends solidify her love of dance and help her find a sneaky way to audit sone dance lessons. Mama does finally come around and I did forgive her.
This novel has been Translated from Italian, so the format is a bit different, there are no chapter headings and clues about the passage of time are often confusing,
It’s a pretty book and I really like how Ellie was portrayed. She’s pretty, innocent, eager, and tries to please.

[Deborah Zeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

e is just like ice cream -- there are lots of different flavors. I LOVED this graphic novel about a young girl, Electra (Ellie), struggling to fit in after moving to a new city. Ellie, feeling awkward and out of place in a sports-centric school, finds solace and passion in ballet after a night at the theater and meeting a new boy at school. Her journey of embracing dance helps her build confidence and make friends.
Ellie's character is highly relatable, and her story will resonate with young readers. The graphic novel format is perfect for capturing the attention of young audiences. The art by Elena Triolo beautifully complements the narrative, using clever color schemes and character designs. Ellie reminded me of Al Hirschfeld’s Wednesday Adams drawings. The balance between emotional depth and humor is impressive, with Ellie’s imperfections making her more endearing as she learns and grows from her mistakes.
The story explores themes like moving to a new place, dealing with divorced parents, attending a new school, bullying, standing up for oneself, friendship, and the joy of discovering a passion and even adult struggles. The simple yet charming cover invites readers in, and the interior art brings smiles with each page. This graphic novel is a great example of effective storytelling and panel design, offering inspiration for aspiring graphic novel creators.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in Italy, this graphic novel will have great appeal for youngsters who love to dance, especially those who are drawn to ballet. Many of them will relate to Ellie [Electra], the book's protagonist, and the deep desire she has to dance even though her interests clash with her mother's. After Ellie's family moves to a new town, her mother nudges her to try various sports in order to make friends. But not a single sport appeals to Ellie, and to make matters worse, she sucks at all of them. When she sees a ballet for the very first time and a new classmate, Nicholas, introduces her to his friends, Ellie realizes she's found her niche and a way forward. But persuading her mother will take all her skills. As is typical with these sorts of stories, Ellie must deal with a bully, figure out what she wants, and then fight for what she wants. But if she could possibly dance on stage, why, that would be worth all the trouble. The book features some interesting secondary characters, including Ellie's supportive cousin, Chloe, and a relatable plot. Fans of children's ballet will appreciate the story and the artwork as well as the depictions of all the practice sessions although Ellie's success comes a little faster than might be believable.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

After her parents get divorced, Ellie and her brother move to a new city with their mother. Starting a new school is a challenge, especially when everyone at her new school seems to be involved with playing a sport, something that really doesn’t interest Ellie. Her mom pushes her to try a variety of sports, but nothing is a good fit for Ellie—until she discovers dance. Unfortunately, her mother is opposed to Ellie participating in dance. Will Ellie be able to change her mom’s mind and pursue what she loves? Readers will relate to the middle school struggles with friendship, parents, and belonging that are addressed in this graphic novel. The graphic novel’s sweet illustrations add to the charm of Ellie’s story. Even when she doesn’t make the best choices, readers will find themselves cheering for Ellie as she works to find her place and what matters to her.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for me to read and review.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Netgalley provided me a DRC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An adorable little upper-elementary/middle grade novel about the difficultly in following the plan your parents have for you versus finding your own way.

Ellie is good at drawing...and that's about it. So when her mother insists she participate in a sport, Ellie finds herself in a series of miserable practices. She gains a few friends (and a few bullies) along the way, but she also discovers her real passion. DANCE.

Unfortunately her mother shoots down the idea every time Ellie tries to bring it up...which leads to secrets, lies, and an eventual confrontation.

Sweet and full of heart.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can you not love that little cutie on the cover in her red-striped shirt?! I really love the title and Ellie's shadow self doing what she dreams about -- ballet! Ellie is short for Electra. She is the new kid in school and her mom wants her to try a sports team to fit in. Ellie tries. Despite the encouragement of family and friends, none of those teams use her gift for music in the right way. Even guitar lessons are a no go despite the fact that her dad is a professional violinist. Can Ellie find a way to join in the ballet school across the way with her buddy Osman? The last part of the book was my absolute favorite. 🩰

[Connie T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

When Ellie, her mother, and brother move to a new town, Ellie's mother wants her to get involved in sports so that she'll fit in and make friends. Ellie doesn't really like sports but she gives it her best and tries volley ball, tennis, even archery, but she hates them all. What she really wants to do is dance but for some reason her mother is hesitant/ against dance. In the end, Ellie winds up taking dance lessons and finding her niche.

On a positive note, the best dance in the class is a boy.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book didn’t flow as nicely as I thought it should, and there were several pieces that weren’t explained, such as why Ellie’s mother was so against her doing ballet. It’s not explained why she incorrectly thinks ballet isn’t a sport and that doing a sport is a must. Also, on page 76, suddenly Ellie’s cast is on her right arm, when. It’s on her left arm on other pages. That type of inaccuracy drove me crazy.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the first 30 or so pages until….CONTENT DISCLAIMER: there was a scene of bullying and her grandfather had taught her bullying techniques which I did not agree with. And so SOMONE bullyed her and I thought the line was terrible. And she punched the bully in the face and as soon as I saw that I slammed the book shut and marked it a Dnf . 2 stars 😑

[Lisa Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one and think that a lot of kids can relate to one of the characters. Give this to fans of Baby Sitters club/Little Sisters, Pheobe and her Unicorn, and younger readers of Telgemier. I think younger middle schoolers will enjoy it too.

[LeslecturesdeMylene · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai beaucoup aimé les personnages à commencer par Estelle et j'ai trouvé le contexte bien fait et mignon !
16/20 - https://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/2...

[Veronika Pizano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sviežy príbeh už len tým, že je to matka, ktorá núti dcéru do športov, kým otec je umelecký typ. Veľmi príjemné spracovanie témy toho, ako rodičia nútia svoje túžby svojim deťom, takže táto kniha má čo povedať aj dospelým.

[Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s cute, if a bit meandering.

[Bridie]

Feeding my ballerina delusions… but why is this girls mom so obsessed with sports

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story!
Friendship, helping friends with their dreams, and learning to speak up for oneself. Ellie does it all.