Becoming a Ballerina: The Story of Michaela Mabinty Deprince - by Laura Obuobi (Hardcover)

About the Book

A profile of the late Michaela Mabinty DePrince, who broke barriers as a dancer of color in the predominantly white world of ballet.

Book Synopsis

From Laura Obuobi, acclaimed author of NAACP Image Award nominee Black Gold and What Love Looks Like, comes a triumphant nonfiction picture book about ballet star Michaela Mabinty DePrince, one of the most celebrated ballerinas of our generation. This lyrical true tale follows her childhood, from Sierra Leone orphan to world famous dancer.

In a Sierra Leone dust storm, ballet swooped into Michaela Mabinty DePrince's life and never let her go. After her adoption brought her to the United States, ballet continued to be the consoling hand that guided Michaela, filling her with joy and hope. Over time, Michaela's love for ballet only grew, and with it her dream of becoming a professional dancer.

However, there were peers who told Michaela she didn't belong in the ballet world, that her skin and vitiligo made her too different. But ballet had stirred in Michaela a faith and determination that would help her turn her dreams into a reality.

From the acclaimed author of NAACP Image Award nominee Black Gold and What Love Looks Like, Laura Obuobi, and artist Olivia Duchess comes a lyrical and heartwarming picture book about one of the most influential ballerinas of our generation, inspiring all of us to never give up on our dreams.

"This picture book offers a tale of inspiration, perseverance, and triumph for a dedicated Black ballerina."--ALA Booklist

Review Quotes

"This picture book offers a tale of inspiration, perseverance, and triumph for a dedicated Black ballerina." - Booklist
"Ballet sustains in this lyrical homage emphasizing the early challenges that dancer Michaela Mabinty DePrince overcame on her path to the professional stage... Obuobi spotlights DePrince's persistence... yielding a portrait that moves in more ways than one." - Publishers Weekly