“The space between you and me is longer than forever” says a young girl watching an accomplished ballerina. “I could never hope to leap the space between.” The ballerina disagrees, noting that she, too, was once “a dreaming shooting star of a girl / with work and worlds ahead.” The young dancer’s discouragement is transformed by words that don’t disregard the sweat and falls and failure that come before success but also affirm that with practice the girl’s dream can come true. Someday she may be the one that young dancers look to with wonder, and dreams of their own. The stirring narrative is followed by an encouraging personal note to the reader from ballerina Misty Copeland. Christopher Myers’s colorful, energetic paintings showing the two African American dancers incorporate many visual references to the Firebird role that Copeland has danced, from the feathers of its wings in the stage curtains and the sky to the fiery colors that pulse from many pages. (Ages 5–10)

In her debut picture book, Misty Copeland tells the story of a young girl--an every girl--whose confidence is fragile and who is questioning her own ability to reach the heights that Misty has reached. Misty encourages this young girl's faith in herself and shows her exactly how, through hard work and dedication, she too can become Firebird.

Lyrical and affecting text paired with bold, striking illustrations that are some of Caldecott Honoree Christopher Myers's best work, makes Firebird perfect for aspiring ballerinas everywhere.