My Seventh Grade Life in Tights

Seventh grader Dillon faces many problems: he yearns to be a “real dancer” but his freestyle dance crew are against trained dancers, there is a dance competition that could land him a dance scholarship, but he needs help from a snobby girl, and his father wants him to play football rather than dance. Dillon is torn between his loyalties but at the end everyone works together to produce a wonderful dance show and learn how important it is to be oneself. This fast-paced, humorous novel for grades 6-8 presents thoughtful and relatable issues including gender stereotypes, friendship, loyalty, relationships, peer pressure, and exploring identity.