Friday Night Stage Lights (mix)

THIS IS SUCH A GREAT BOOK!!! It talks about this girl named Brooklyn who has just moved to Texas from Oregon. She LOVES ballet, and how she wants to go to TSOTA. She plans to go to a showcase at the school with her dance partner Jayden, but he breaks his leg and can’t dance until after the showcase is due. Everyone in Brooklyn’s town is in LOVE with football. And she HATES it. One day, Mary Rose (her dance teacher) tells her and her classmates that the middle school football team is going to come to the studio to get better at football. Brooklyn is looking for a new partner to dance in the showcase with cuz she is too scared to dance her solo due to an accident that happened the year before (she fell in one of her biggest show and embarrassed herself). Mary Rose suggest a boy names Logan who has been working hard and trying to do the exercises being taught. Brooklyn gets the courage to ask him to be her partner and he says yes… on one condition; she needs to learn and respect football. Logan teaches her football and Brooklyn helps him practice ballet for the showcase and to get better at football. In the end (not giving away the spoiler), she dances in the showcase and is very happy, has a great bond with her step-brother Tanner and the rest of her family, respects (AND understands football), and is living her dream of dancing. This book is about being passionate about what you love, and not worrying about what anyone else says. “Just dance.”

Loved this book! Great story. Some unexpected twists and a lot of good discussion points. Makes a great group read! Thank you for a good story that I can recommend without all of the nonsense! Tackles tough issues in a way that leaves room for discussion.

Whether you dance or not, this is a wonderful book! Brooklyn is a dancer in a small town where football is everything. But she learns a valuable lesson about friendship when she is forced to dance with one of the boys from the middle school football team.

I read this book to my 6 year old daughter and we loved it. She begged for more each night. Her dad even came in and listened when he heard her talking about football and he enjoyed the story.

4.5 stars. Delightful! I think my favorite part was the way Brooklyn's relationship developed with her step-brother. The dance and football pieces worked well together, and the whole cast of characters was terrific. And I learned something, too - all about Texas Homecoming Mums. Highly recommend.

An incredible story to read with anybody. I read it aloud with my 10 and 5 year-old boys. They both loved it! (So did I)

My daughter loves this author. The story is fun and she did not want to put the book down. The author also will be offering a Girl Scout Patch program for this book. Excellent gift book.

Good fun book. Read with my kids and it is one I would recommend to others.