My Seventh-Grade Life in Tights by Brooks Benjamin

Summary: All Dillon wants is to be a real dancer. And if he wins a summer scholarship at Dance-Splosion, he’s on his way. The problem? His dad wants him to play football. And Dillon’s freestyle crew, the Dizzee Freekz, says that dance studios are for sellouts. His friends want Dillon to kill it at the audition—so he can turn around and tell the studio just how wrong their rules and creativity-strangling ways are. At first, Dillon’s willing to go along with his crew’s plan, even convincing one of the snobbiest girls at school to work with him on his technique. But as Dillon’s dancing improves, he wonders: what if studios aren’t the enemy? And what if he actually has a shot at winning the scholarship? 

DIZZEE FREEKZ 4-EVA!

Dillon Parker has the music in him – he loves being part of a dance crew with his friends Kassie and Carson (and videographer Austin), but he longs to learn some real technique, not just the “ninja freestyle” he invented using karate moves. Kassie and Carson, both veterans of years of dance lessons, insist that Dillon’s way is more creative, more true, but he’s not convinced. When an opportunity comes up to compete for a dance studio scholarship, Kassie wants Dillon to use it to take a stand against the creativity-stifling studios – but Dillon *really* wants those lessons. Torn between loyalty to his crew and his own desires, Dillon has to learn how to be true to himself. Dillon is a winning protagonist, willing to put up with ridicule if necessary to do what he loves, and his honest nature is refreshing. Benjamin populates his whole novel, actually, with fresh, realistic characters whom I’d love to hang out with, from good-guy football player DeMarcus to the strong-willed Kassie to the eternally sunny Carson – heck, even complicated sorta-mean-girl Sarah is winningly drawn. A delightful dance from start to finish.

MY SEVENTH-GRADE LIFE IN TIGHTS is out now.

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