I always find myself waffling between the first book and this one, but I think this might be my favorite of the original five. Part of it is simply the way the book flows from one section to the other - Drina the actress to Drina to dancer - but I also feel like the character grows the most in this volume. I think it might also be the fact that I can picture her experiences more clearly, since she spends so much time dancing in "The Nutcracker," which is the only ballet I've actually seen live. The ending, when some major truths come to light, never ceases to make me smile. Drina's life is finally REALLY moving forward, and it's lovely.

For 10 years, I thought this was the end of the series, and while it certainly does wrap up a lot of major plot lines, I distinctly remember feeling rather unfulfilled. There was nothing truly concrete about the conclusion, and so smaller plot threads were left dangling. But that still didn't stop me from loving the series, and reading it over and over again (clearly!)

Drina has more adventures, both ups and downs, on her way to becoming a ballerina. So many things can go wrong, as happens to Drina's rival, Daphne. And though Drina suffers a minor injury, it gives her another opportunity to act. As Drina grows up, she also is beginning to be more understanding of other people's problems.