On Pointe by Lorie Ann Grover

This book is about the hidden world of ballet. The main character is named Clare and she aspires to be a dancer in the city ballet. Clare is turned down because she doesn't have a "dancer's body". This is her struggle to keep up with what is going on around her. It is apparently written in poem from. It has a plot line which is better than most poetry.

• Would I recommend this book? Yes, this book is great and shows the world beyond what you see on stage. The book says:Ages 8-12 but, I wouldn't give this book to anyone under 12. It deals with complex things such as eating disorders, "girl stuff" and more.
• 4/5
• Would I ever read anything else from this author? Yes, I think I am going to add her book, Hold Me Tight, to my reading list.
• The thing that bothered me the most: Even though it was written in "poem" form, it wasn't really a poem. It looks like it is a slightly long book but only the left half of each page is actually words. To make it look like poetry, there are just random breaks in all the sentences. It would be much better if it were written like a normal book.

Aphrodite's Blessings: Love Stories From The Greek Myths by Clemence McLaren

This book is basically three mini-stories under one umbrella. They all have to do with teenage girls living in Greece but, they don't ever meet. As the title suggests, they are all love stories. This book was written for younger people than I. When I flipped through it at the library, the print looked tiny and the book appeared long enough, so I grabbed it. The book took me a total of 4 morning bus rides, 2 afternoon bus rides and an hour before I went to sleep. So, overall, it was an easy read.

• Would I recommend this book? To girls from the ages of 9 to 11
• 3.5/5
• Would I read anything from this author again? Maybe, some of her other books looked interesting. She mostly writes historical fiction having to do with the ancient Roman/Greek time period.
• The thing that bothered me the most: All the stories had happy endings and were easily predictable.