Synopses & Reviews
- A contemporary voice to accompany the popular American Girl of Today dolls.
- Series shows that, with resourcefulness, resolve, and humor, any girl can make things happen--and that it is up to every girl to strive for her personal best. This character comes to realize through a move that her family is making that it is her own passion to dance and the improvements she strives for that make her who she is. These are the things that will stay with her, even in the midst of change.
- Marisol taps into contemporary girl's passions for dance, and focuses on a variety of types of dance (ballet folklorico, or Mexican folkdance, traditional ballet, and some tap). The glossary includes some basic ballet terms.
- The back matter focuses on four contemporary girls who are dancers: one girl who is into modern dance, one who does ballet folklorico (Mexican folkdance), and two sister who are seriously into traditional ballet.
- The character, Marisol Luna, is Mexican American, but the thrust of her story is about her as a dancer. In other words, her ethnicity is not the focus of the story. Our positioning is that she is a dancer who also happens to be Mexican American. There are Spanish words and phrases sprinkled throughout the story, and there is a Spanish glossary in the back (along with French and ballet words), which will especially appeal to those girls who speak or are learning Spanish.
Synopsis
Marisol Luna is a lively 10-year-old girl who was born to dance. She's a fourth-grader who lives with her loving parents in a busy and largely Hispanic neighborhood in the heart of Chicago. Marisol goes to school (where she is a Two-Square champion) takes care of her cat, plays with the kids in her neighborhood, and takes dance lessons. Ballet folkl--rico (Mexican folkdance) is her favorite type of dance--and where she really shines--but she's been exposed to some jazz and a little tap. She's also taking ballet, but she's new to it and a little impatient with its rigors. Her attitude towards ballet changes only slightly when she meets a wonderful new neighbor. Miss Mendoza is a former Rockette who gently reminds Marisol that ballet is worth working hard at, because it's the basis for all serious dance. The upsetting news that her family is moving out to the suburbs is made worse when Marisol learns that the dance studio in her new neighborhood has closed. No tap, no ballet folkl--rico--not even ballet. She may have to take karate lessons Instead, with the help of new friends, resourceful Marisol finds a way to keep dancing.
Synopsis
Meet Marisol Luna, a girl who was born to dance. The family is moving to the Chicago suburbs, and Marisol learns that her new neighborhood doesn't have a dance studio. Instead of giving up, resourceful Marisol is determined to keep dancing.