El Deseo de Mi Coraz?n

Cuando un ataque de panico impide que Florencia act?e como Clara en El Cascanueces y su mejor amiga act?a como Clara en lugar de ella, un nuevo estilo de baile la ayuda a enfrentar su ansiedad y una amistad problem?tica.

After a panic attack prevents Florencia from performing as Clara in The Nutcracker and her best friends takes the lead, a new dance style helps her face her anxiety as well as a troubled friendship.

El ballet lo es todo para Florencia del Lago. Despu?s de a?os de arduo trabajo, es seleccionada como Clara en la producci?n invernal de El Cascanueces. No s?lo es la bailarina m?s joven en recibir tal honor sino tambi?n la primera latina. Est? en camino de ser contratada por las mejores compa??as de ballet.

Desafortunadamente, la noche del estreno, sufre un ataque de p?nico-- en el escenario, delante de todos. Y luego Selena, su mejor amiga, la reemplaza como Clara. As?, se desmorona su mundo entero-- el estudio de ballet la expulsa, y su mejor amiga se vuelve contra ella, atorment?ndola en las redes sociales y en la vida real.

Pero a pesar de que algo que ella amaba lleg? a su fin, la terapia y el apoyo familiar la ayudan a abrirse a nuevas experiencias. Forma una amistad con dos chicos de la escuela a los que nunca les hab?a prestado atenci?n, e incluso se encuentra con una escuela de danza irlandesa y decide intentar aprender esta nueva forma de arte. Podr? una nueva pasi?n por la danza irlandesa ayudarla a encontrar la alegr?a de bailar en el escenario que perdi? aquella noche de invierno?

Ballet is Florencia del Lago's entire world. After years of hard work, she is chosen as Clara in the winter production of The Nutcracker. Not only is she the youngest dancer to receive such an honor but also the first Latina. She's on track to be recruited by the best ballet companies.

Unfortunately, she suffers a panic attack on opening night--on stage, in front of everyone. And then Selena, Florencia's best friend, steps right into the role to replace her. Just like that, Florencia's whole world falls apart--the ballet studio expels her, and her best friend turns on her, tormenting her on social media and in real life.

But even though the one thing she was driven toward has come to an end, therapy and family support help Florencia open up to new experiences. She notices people at school she's never paid attention to before, and she even stumbles upon an Irish dance school and decides to give it a try. Can a new passion for Irish dance help Florencia find the joy of performing on the stage that she lost that fateful winter night?

Yamile Saied M?ndez is the award-winning author of many books for young readers and adults, including Furia, Where Are You From?, the Horse Country series, and On These Magic Shores, among others. She was born and raised in Rosario, Argentina, but has lived most of her life in a lovely valley surrounded by mountains in Utah. She's a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA Writing program, and a founding member of Las Musas, a marketing collective of Latine writers. Connect with her at yamilesmendez.com.