Review: Back to Basics

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Back to Basics Back to Basics by Simon Brading
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once again the second book in this series was a joy to read! I absolutely love following the twins as they struggle and blossom as characters. If you have a passion for ballet it never leaves you, but always stays in your heart and spirit. My only reason for four stars is it was too short! I desperately want to read more and follow the kids' careers. I hope Simon has much more in store for them!

Max and Emily are quickly moved to Spain by their miserable Aunt Kimberley. Things get much worse when she announces they will not be dancing in her house but they quickly discover what is behind her nasty attitude. The bright star in their life is their amazingly sweet cousin Núria who does everything she can to encourage the twins. Their new life presents many challenges including attending a school in a foreign language and a bully named Marta.

While this book is written for middle grade, I believe anyone of any age can enjoy this series. Adults should be aware of concepts of death and bullying before letting young children read them but the stories are centered around how the children handle the situations and grow from them.

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