The Hidden Dragon By Melissa Marr New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023. Fiction. 161 pages. Three children, Otter, London, and Sophia, live in a fantasy world with dragons. Otter (short for Ottilie) is the daughter of a ship captain, and she loves the sea and its dragons. London is a stowaway boy, searching for a new life full of adventure. Sophia lives in a thief house with other children, all dedicated to helping each other and trying to make the kingdom better. As trouble begins to brew both on land and at sea, these three heroes realize that maybe it's up to the kids to make things right. Readers experience the book from multiple perspectives, and with a bit of mystery and adventure, this is an amazing fantasy read. With the inspiring message that children truly can make a difference, readers will enjoy how each character fights for what's right, even when it's inconvenient. The ending is resolved a little quickly, but this is a great read for all "hatchlings."
It might surprise some people to know that Fred Astaire was never expected to be much of an entertainer or a dancer. His family focused on his older sister Adele as the "natural born dancer". Fred went along when they took Adele to New York for dancing school. He also took lessons at the school and quite enjoyed them. The teacher wanted to put the siblings in a show. He dressed them as bride and groom and they tap-danced on wooden wedding cakes. The act was a huge hit and they began their career on the Vaudeville circuit. The children traveled extensively throughout the country with their act. The going wasn't always easy. Fred was a stickler for perfection and Adele was rather lazy. Eventually Adele married and Fred was free to choose exactly what he wanted . . . to make his way in Hollywood! While not an in-depth biography, Footwork gives us a glimpse into the path Fred Astaire forged to make such a big name for himself in entertainment history.
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