Chapter Book 9

Author	Siena Cherson Siegel
Title	To Dance: A Ballerina’s Graphic Novel
Illustrator	Mark Siegel
Readability Score	Lexile Measure: 610 L
Genre	Biography
Subgenre	Memoir/Graphic Novel
Theme	This book encourages hard work and determination to accomplish goals and dreams.
Primary and Secondary Characters	Siena, Sienna’s mother, Sienna’s father, Adam, doctor, Mister B, Mrs. Alcalde, Madame Tumkovsky
Award(s) date of publication	2006
Publishing Company	Atheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN Number	0-689-86747-6
Brief Summary	At the age of six, Sienna was told that she had flat feet.  When Sienna’s mother suggested dance classes to help improve her daughter's feet, the doctor replied that it was no use.  However, Sienna’s mother decided to sign her up for the classes anyway.  Sienna loved attending dance class.  After viewing a performance from famed dancer Maya Plisetskaya, Sienna was convinced that she wanted to become a ballerina herself.  When she was eleven, Sienna auditioned at the School of American Ballet (SAB) and was accepted.  While at SAB, Sienna’s true talent began to emerge as dancing became a permanent fixture in her life.
Picture of book cover
Description of how you would use book with students	I would use this book as a mentor text to encourage students to write their own memoirs in a graphic novel format.