Nova in New York
Nova in New York
Isaac waited until all the other girls had left, their pointe shoes slung over their shoulders as they filed out.
He set the remote down on the piano. “Nova, you beat out thousands of others to get a spot in this program,” he said quietly. “I watched your audition tape. I know what you can do. You’re a strong dancer-but I’m having a hard time seeing that in class. I think it’s time for you to decide if you really want to be here. Right now it’s just not there.”
I tightened my grip on my pointe shoes. “Okay,” I croaked.
“I know you have it in you-I just have to see it.” His voice was gentle. “Now go rest up.”
I didn’t have a response for him. I moved toward the door. My throat was tight with tears and I blinked to clear my eyes. My bare feet squeaking against the hardwood was the only sound in the studio. I slipped into my flipflops and threw on my T-shirt not bothering with pants. I took deep breaths as I made my way down the stairs and out into the lobby. A security guard nodded at me from behind her desk. I knew my dancing in class hadn’t been enough-but hearing it said out loud was brutal. Especially from someone as talented as Isaac….
…My phone rang as I climbed the stairs to my floor. A picture of Aunt Ivy popped up on the screen. She was kneeling in front of a bed of sweet peas, oxygen tank almost hidden by the grass.
Nova, 17, has been given the chance of a lifetime – to go to New York for several weeks to dance and train at a prestigious ballet school. It’s a dream come true for any ballet hopeful, and Nova is no exception. She wants to take this chance but worries at home are holding her back.
Nova’s immediate family consists of her father and her Aunt Ivy, her father’s sister. Aunt Ivy has cystic fibrosis and lives with an oxygen tank constantly at her side. It seems as if Aunt Ivy’s condition is getting worse, although Nova’s father and Aunt Ivy don’t talk about such things in front of Nova. Excited, but reluctant and a little scared to leave home, Nova decides to go to New York.
The big city is even bigger and noisier than Nova expected, and the dancing and rehearsing from morning till night is hard work. There is some time for relaxing and touring, but most of the day Nova and the other girls spend dancing. As the days pass, Nova is torn between staying in New York or returning home, and her dancing is showing her ambivalence. Even the ballet teacher notices, and Nova knows she must make a decision soon.
Nova in New York is a realistic look at a young girl away from home when a loved one’s condition is worsening. Nova goes through mixed emotions, wanting to be happy and excited for her chance to dance and, at the same time, worrying about her father and Aunt Ivy. As many young people would, Nova constantly waivers between going home or staying in New York. Young readers will easily identify with Nova’s torn feelings.
Part of the “Orca Limelights” series, Nova in New York has simpler vocabulary and sentence structure designed to be reachable by all readers. The author does a good job of naming and then describing ballet moves so that readers can easily visualize and comprehend what is happening in the story. Readers who know ballet will relate to the story, and those new to ballet will learn about ballet as they read. The descriptions are part of the story and add to the flow of the action.
The story also deals with Aunt Ivy’s cystic fibrosis (CF) in a realistic and matter-of-fact way. It details the conditions a person with this disease lives with on a daily basis. It also offers a look into the emotions of a loving relative who is worried and gives young readers a glimpse into the life of someone living with CF.
Nova in New York is recommended as a light read for young people interested in ballet or other performing arts and for others who might pick up the book to enjoy the story.
Mary Harelkin Bishop is the author of the “Tunnels of Moose Jaw Adventure” series published by Coteau Books as well as many other books. She has recently retired after thirty-plus years as teacher-librarian, literacy teacher and educational consultant with Saskatoon Public Schools. She is looking forward to spending more time writing, giving writers’ workshops and playing with grandchildren.