Silhouette by Thalia Kalkipsakis

[[thaliakalipsakis]]Scarlett is in her final year of ballet school and, up to this moment, her whole world has been consumed with dance. But when her mother tells her that she can’t apply for the prestigious National Ballet School, and she secretly auditions as a dancer in a video clip, two very different worlds are set to collide.

Silhouette is a fascinating insight into the ambition and sheer hard work required from young dancers and also a realistic portrayal of the temptations that every teenager will face at one time or another – alcohol, marijuana and party drugs. While Scarlett does flirt with the dark side of the rock star lifestyle, it doesn’t take her long to realise the price of partying is her ambitions. Scarlett’s difficult relationship with her mother is also well drawn and their eventual reconciliation feels authentic.

This novel is recommended for girls age 14 and up, particularly those who are focused on dance, music or other performing arts.