• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

Jasmine used to love dance. Now she struggles to hold on to that love as her dance team trains for a big competition.

Jasmine's teammates are bickering, and when their teacher suggests that Jasmine might not have what it takes to be on the team, Jasmine is ready to quit. At a particularly rough practice, she channels her anger into her moves, surprising everyone, including herself, with how well she dances. But the team is still falling apart, and it’s up to Jasmine to figure out a way to get her teammates to work together and celebrate the joy of dance.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Sara Leach hails from Whistler, BC, where she loves to ski, hike and bike. Her middle grade novel Count Me In won the Red Cedar Book Award for 2012/13. In addition to being a children's author, she is also an elementary school teacher-librarian. She has had the privilege of teaching several amazing students with Asperger Syndrome (now classified under Autism Spectrum Disorder), and her experience working with them inspired Slug Days.

Sara Leach's profile page

• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

"A sweet story that will surely leave a smile on your face. Not only does it capture the beauty and emotion of dance, but also the power of friendship. Jasmine is a girl who you cannot help but love and cheer for. She brings out happiness in herself and her teammates, as well as her straight-laced dance instructor. You will not want to put the book down as you wait for the characters in the book to come together as a true team. This book is simply a sweet, refreshing breath of fresh air."

School Library Journal (SLJ)

"Leach provides a compelling story of emotional growth while giving readers an authentic view of contemporary dance and competition...The smooth, graceful writing matches the subject nicely...The plot is heartily centered on learning social and emotional confidence, but Jasmine’s relationship with Will adds a nice fillip without detracting from the core message. As with most books from this publisher, its brevity never takes away from good storytelling. Dedicated dancers would appreciate this paired with Siena Cherson Siegel’s nonfiction graphic novel, To Dance (2006)."

Booklist

"A sweet, feel-good story."

Bookish Serendipity

"Dancers will find this book enjoyable and non-dancers will learn about the finesse of the art...Jasmine's character shows great inner strength under adversity and is a positive model for teen girls on how to handle bullying."

Southwestern Ohio Young Adult Materials Review Group (SOYAMRG)

"A fast-paced, enjoyable read that [will have] you simultaneously resenting Jasmine’s teammates as well as cheering for the team to come together. Demonstrating perseverance and sportsmanship, this is a great read for girls interested in dance."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials