Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina

Lyrical, inspiring, and affecting text paired with bright, appealing illustrations make Ready to Fly perfect for aspiring ballerinas everywhere who are ready to leap and to spread their wings!

Ready to Fly is the true story of Sylvia Townsend, an African American girl who falls in love with ballet after seeing Swan Lake on TV. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share at home or in the classroom. 

Although there aren’t many ballet schools that will accept a girl like Sylvia in the 1950s, her local bookmobile provides another possibility. A librarian helps Sylvia find a book about ballet and the determined seven-year-old, with the help of her new books, starts teaching herself the basics of classical ballet.

Soon Sylvia learns how to fly—how to dance—and how to dare to dream.

Includes a foreword from Sylvia Townsend, a brief history of the bookmobile, an author’s note, and a further reading list.

Author Biography

Lea Lyon has illustrated six award-winning picture books, including SAY SOMETHING, and PLAYING WAR. Her recent book, LAILAH’S LUNCHBOX, about a Muslim girl celebrating Ramadan in an American school, was named both an ALA Notable book and an NCSS Notable Social Studies book for 2016. Other honors include the Teachers’ Choice Award from Learning Magazine, another NCSS Notable Social Studies Book, ILA-CBC Children’s Choices list for 2016, two Skipping Stones awards, and two Moonbeam awards. Lea is the Illustrator Coordinator for the SCBWI San Francisco/South region. READY TO FLY is her first published picture book as an author. Visit her at www.lealyon.com.

Jessica Gibson is a mostly self-taught freelance illustrator who graduated from Wayne County Community College with an associate of arts degree. Though she primarily illustrates children’s books, Gibson also creates artwork for magazines and has an interest in character design. With a pen and tablet by her side, she loves creating adorable, whimsical, and sometimes quirky illustrations, ready to brighten up everyone’s heart. You can visit her at www.jessicamgibson.com.