Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina

Sy lvia Town w o send Became H Ballerina e the l i Bookmob

Story told by

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Lea Lyon and A. LaFaye Foreword by Sylvia Townsend Illustrated by Jessica Gibson

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Born with the beat in my feet, I jive to Daddy’s jazz and sway to Mama’s symphonies.

As musical notes start to float, I rise to my toes, ready to fly.

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When our secondhand TV fills with beautiful dancers, all feathered and fine, I say, “I want to do that too!”

“Sylvia,” Mama says, “they’re dancing the ballet Swan Lake.”

“Ballet? Oh, I need to learn ballet!” Sylvia says. “Can I take lessons?”

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“I want to leap

and

twirl

and do pliés till I can dance in real ballets.”

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But Daddy says, “Sorry, baby, lessons don’t come free.”

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So I twist Mama’s scarves into a tutu and make my own ballet slippers.

Dressed and ready, I try and try, but my feet won’t budge.

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There must be another way to learn how to soar.

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