Another novel in verse, "A Time to Dance" follows teenager Veda鈥檚 work to become a traditional bharatanatyam dancer in India. She is devastated when a car crash leads to partial amputation and puts her dance career on hold. It鈥檚 a struggle to reestablish her skill, but Veda鈥檚 passion motivates her to keep working toward her goals.
The book is not perfect. The author in her preface 鈥� and then Veda as the narrator 鈥� use the term 鈥渄ifferently abled鈥� without acknowledging that this is a controversial term among people with disabilities. Despite this, "A Time to Dance" is a mostly honest look at disability that features a strong 鈥� but realistic and flawed 鈥� female protagonist making a place for herself in the world. This one is best for more advanced readers. (Ages 12 and up)
