Notable is Langston’s unwavering passion for ballet-and his mother’s just as steadfast support-in this richly affirmative picture book. A trip to see the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, community support, discipline, and hard work will shape his passion. She knew she was onto something when she wrote her first poem and her grade school classmates thought she’d copied it from a book A proud alumna of Morgan State. New Jersey, Kaija Langley has been writing since she fell in love with words at age seven. Black boy joy can be found in many places, and Langston finds it in basketball and dance. Join in a virtual story hour with Kaija Langley, author of When Langston Dances. Mallett’s lively, realistic illustrations, characterized by airbrushed strokes and dynamic dancers of varying skin tones, help further bring the story to life. The First Novelist winner is When Langston Dances by Kaija Langley (published by Simon & Schuster). and danced,” the final spreads read, showing the maturing protagonist continuing to dance over the years. Langley utilizes plentiful dialogue and repetition to draw readers in: “And Langston danced. He longs to twirl into a pirouette, whirl.

Though a child on the way to Langston’s first dance class attempts to bring the burgeoning dancer down with a gendered sneer, Langston perseveres, in spreads showcasing an engrossing flipbook-like progression of his moves. A young Black boy dreams of dancing in this exuberant, buoyant picture book celebrating the beauty of dance, and the wonder of Black Boy Joyperfect for fans of Firebird and Crown Langston likes basketball okay, but what he loves is to danceever since he saw the Alvin Ailey Dance Company perform. When, post-performance, Langston asks whether he, too, could dance like that, his mother offers an encouraging response: “You can do whatever you set your mind to doing.” Thus begins Langston’s journey toward balletic excellence in this firmly uplifting narrative. “Langston liked basketball, but he adored ballet.” A Black boy recognizes his love of ballet after his mother takes him to see the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. by Kaija Langley and Keith Mallett Meet-the-Author Recording of When Langston Dances Video Book Reading from When Langston Dances Name Pronunciation with. Langston likes basketball okay, but what he loves is to dance-ever since he saw the Alvin Ailey Dance Company perform.