Pink Slippers, Bat Mitzvah Blues

Alyssa, a typical 14 year old girl, loved to dance. All's she wanted to do was dance for the rest of her life. She had one little problem, Confirmation class. She had been going to church everyday for the past five years to learn about her religion and learn how to speak Hebrew. After Alyssa's Bat Mitzvah, Alyssa didn't have to go to church anymore. Alyssa didn't want to go to Confirmation class, but rabbi wanted her to stay so bad, and wouldn't let her go. Alyssa said no that she wouldn't go to Confirmation class, because she would rather dance. Alyssa went to Ballet everyday after that. She had to convince her parents that if she would go to church every other day and only go to Ballet every other days, her body wouldn't be very flexible. Alyssa's dream was to be like Fawn, a girl in her Ballet class that her teacher always showed off, because she was the best. Fawn always got the lead parts in all of the Ballets, but Alyssa just wishes that she would be able to get that lead part for the annual Nutcracker Ballet. The rule was that Alyssa could only miss three days of Ballet, and if she missed more, she would be kicked out of the play. Alyssa's best friend came down with phenomena. Alyssa had a choice. To lose her best friend or get the lead part that she has always dreamed of.
I would recommend this book to any kid or teenager between the ages of 10-15 years. I liked this book, because I am a dancer myself and I know what it is like to get your parents to believe you that you have to go to dance everyday and that you can't miss or skip class. At the beginning of the book when Alyssa is taking her religious class, she really stayed true to her religion and I thought that that was very good. Her brother was Mr. Perfect and she just tried to be like him, and I give her credit for trying really hard to please her parents. Everyday at Ballet she would dance her heart out like she was really performing. She was never lazy or late to her classes and that is what I call a good dancer. I really like to hear that she is so much into dancing that she would do anything to just dance everyday. That's what I call commitment. Alyssa didn't really like to go to church because she just wanted to dance, and she did what she wanted. She just wanted to go to dance. I thought that she did a really good job of still being nice to her family, and she wasn't being rude to her parents when she asked them if she could just go to dance and not to church. She did a really good job of that. Really anyone could read this book and I think that even parents could read this book to their kids, because it would teach the parents that a kid would do anything just to get what they want, but also being very nice and not rude about it.

A book for dancer WANTABEES!!!!!!!!!!!
Alyssa wanted to dance after her Bat mitzvah, and nothing else. Then many pressures occur in Alyssa�s life. Although Alyssa just wants to dance she just can�t leave out her religion and life�s challenges. Alyssa has to decide if dancing is more important then her religion and the obstacles that come before her. Alyssa�s dance teacher already thinks she�s behind. Alyssa tries to focus on dance but life is just to complicated. I think this was an excellent book. It was just the right length and it didn�t bore me. I can�t stand extremely long books that just drag on and on. For me this book was perfect. I loved the plot of the book. I�m a dancer and recently I have had so many obstacles in my life that have interfered with dance. I wanted to join a new sport that I really wanted to do but it was either that or dance and we all know the answer there. I think I liked this book so much because it really appealed to my life. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

My favorite book!
I am an 11 year old Jewish girl. I think this story is really fun to read. I've read it about 10 times. I love the ending the best! I think any girl who goes to hebrew school would relate to this.