Calhoun, Dia. The Phoenix Dance.

CALHOUN, Dia. The Phoenix Dance. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. 272p. c2005. 0-474-35910-5. $17.00. JS

Calhoun shows her skill in reinterpreting fairy tales with a modern sensibility. Phoenix Dance is a young woman who lives in a kingdom torn by politics where discontented citizens act out against the power of the monarchy. Phoenix, however, wants nothing more than to apprentice to the royal shoemaker and develop her skill in making beautiful shoes, putting her at odds with her best friend Rora. She is pulled into the drama of the royal household when she is brought in to find out how the 12 princesses wear out their shoes night after night only to waste away more each day. Phoenix uncovers their secret, but finds herself drawn into the spell that keeps them dancing in a frenzy until the dawn breaks. She battles magic far beyond what she had ever expected to face.

Phoenix's greater challenge, however, is to struggle with her own mood swings that send her soaring her into manic frenzies and then drop her into severe depression. She learns that she suffers from the Illness of the Two Kingdoms, and a Healer prescribes a brew to help balance her moods even though Phoenix is determined to fight the battle on her own terms. Through both challenges, Phoenix comes to understand that sometimes you must rely on outside help to achieve your goals. Calhoun follows the text with an author's note describing her own experiences with bipolar disorder and how the story developed. Michele Winship, Asst. Prof., Capital Univ., Columbus, OH

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.