Balletball

Nini loves everything about ballet--the sparkles, the costumes, the twirling! But in the spring there's only baseball practice. Baseball is nothing like ballet. Or is it?

Nini hates baseball. She hates that baseball is not ballet. She especially hates that Mom signed her up to play, but now she's stuck with the sport. Nini just can't bring herself to try. Her team starts to lose, but not even her teammates' disappointment will change her feelings. A pep talk from her coach and sparkly shoelaces help--a little. When Nini makes a game-winning catch using her ballet moves, she realizes that change might not be so bad after all, and ballet and baseball have more in common than she thought.

Erin Dionne is the author of the picture book Captain's Log: Snowbound and several middle-grade novels, including Lights, Camera, Disaster and Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking, an Edgar Award nominee. Erin is an associate professor of liberal arts at Montserrat College of Art in Massachusetts.

Gillian Flint has worked as a professional illustrator since graduating with an animation and illustration degree in 2003. She illustrated Love You Always, Button and Bundle, and Hugga Bugga Love. In her spare time Gillian enjoys reading and spending time with her family.