{"id":9214043783405,"title":"A Place to Dance","handle":"a-place-to-dance","description":"\n\u003ch1\u003eA Place to Dance\u003c\/h1\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003eHow Richard Lamberty Brought Change to the Ballroom\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/eric-rosswood\"\u003eEric Rosswood\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/richard-lamberty\"\u003eRichard Lamberty\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/vincent-chen\"\u003eVincent Chen\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cb\u003eWho says only girls can twirl and boys must take the lead on the dance floor?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen dancer Richard Lamberty was a child, he loved dancing—especially ballroom dancing. But he was always jealous of the moves female dancers got to do. Intrigued by the female dancers’ different steps, Richard developed the skills to dance either role in order to compete with a male partner in the Gay Games in Europe. He then came back to the United States and cofounded April Follies, the longest-running and largest queer partner dance competition in North America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichard Lamberty is a two-time world champion ballroom dancer whose story inspires the LGBTQIA+ community to put on their dance shoes and do what they love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003e★ “An uplifting and thoughtfully rendered portrait that affirms how artistic conviction can reshape tradition and expand possibilities for inclusion . . .”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/my-dad-is-the-best\"\u003eMy Dad Is the Best\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/remember-her-name\"\u003eRemember Her Name!\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/a-place-to-dance-spread.jpg?v=1764096660\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/a-place-to-dance-cover.jpg?v=1764096661\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/a-place-to-dance-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1764096689\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEric Rosswood, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEric Rosswood is an author and commentator on LGBTQ issues, including civil rights, parenting, marriage, and politics. He has led panels on LGBTQ parenting issues for organizations such as the Family Equality Council and the Modern Family Alliance. Eric is the coauthor of \u003ci\u003eStrong\u003c\/i\u003e, a Stonewall Honor book, and the author of \u003ci\u003eMy Uncle's Wedding\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eQueer Cheer\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/eric-rosswood\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Eric.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRichard Lamberty, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichard Lamberty has been dancing for over forty years and teaching for more than thirty five. He has written extensively on the technique of standard and latin ballroom and was a cofounder of the April Follies dance competition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/richard-lamberty\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Richard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVincent Chen, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVincent Chen is a Taiwanese American illustrator from New Jersey. With a BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design, Vincent has always loved putting pencil to paper. He is the illustrator of \u003ci\u003eHot Pot Night\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eHenry Hamlet's Heart\u003c\/i\u003e. By day, he is a background painter in animation and by night, he illustrates children’s books.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/vincent-chen\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Vincent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?4673889858015672850\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEvocative language, such as “skip, spin, twirl, prance, and strut” brings this ­story of a young dancer to life. Joy can become a form of resistance, as shown in this biography. From childhood, Richard ­Lamberty recognizes dance as an authentic expression of self, even when adults attempt to ­temper or redirect that impulse. The narrative ­follows how that early certainty evolves into advocacy, culminating in his founding of April Follies to legitimize and expand opportunities for same-sex ballroom competition. What begins as personal passion becomes public work. Dance is presented as both disciplined craft and cultural ­intervention, challenging restrictive norms and widening the circle of belonging. Chen’s digital illustrations heighten this sense of ­movement and ­intention. Sweeping lines carry the eye across each spread, capturing lift, extension, and precision, allowing readers to feel the movement of dance through the ­illustrations. Saturated jewel tones and warm golds evoke stage light and celebration without veering into excess. The characterization feels contemporary and accessible while maintaining elegance. ­VERDICT An uplifting and thoughtfully rendered ­portrait that affirms how artistic conviction can reshape tradition and expand possibilities for ­inclusion; a necessary purchase.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?4673889858015672850\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLong-limbed, elegantly posed couples glide lyrically through this salute to Richard Lamberty, who helped pioneer the notion of same-sex ballroom dancing in this country. Readers will be swept along both by the art and by his story, which begins with him as the shortest first-grader, leading his class down the hall in glides and twists, clogging his way across the lunchroom, and jealously noting how only the girls at ballroom-dance camp got to spin, twirl, and dip. At 16 he was already teaching; a little later, he and a partner placed third in the world at the international Gay Games. In 2003, he cofounded “April Follies,” still the “largest and longest-running queer dance competition in North America.” Rosswood explains in a historical afterword that only in 2019 did a rules change allow same-gender couples to compete in “mainstream” ballroom events. “So, be yourself,” Lamberty concludes. “Be proud. And keep on dancing!” Considering the joy of movement that positively shines in Chen’s exuberant images of couples mixed of both race and gender twirling across the floor, it would be hard to do otherwise. The closing lists of kid-friendly print and web resources are excellent too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n Under studio lights and strict rules, a young dancer refuses to stay in step.\nThis picture-book biography, co-authored by its subject, focuses on the life of dancer Lamberty (b. 1959). As a teen, he falls for ballroom—jive, rumba, cha-cha—but bristles at the rigid roles that reserve all the fun flair for girls. Though his teachers shut him down, he practices both parts in private, twirling and dipping on his own. That determination sharpens his skill and leads to a job teaching dance, yet he still longs to perform freely. Years later, he spots a flyer for the Gay Games in Amsterdam. Finding a partner proves difficult at a time when many fear being openly themselves, but Richard persists. When he finally competes, he and his partner Tom place third in the world. The experience affirms what Richard already knows: If a true space of belonging doesn’t exist for him, he must build it from the ground up. He leans into queer advocacy and creates April Follies, an inclusive competition that welcomes dancers as they are. Chen’s digital illustrations feature fluid shapes and luminous gradients that convey motion and joy. Ribbonlike color sweeps guide the eye, while Richard seems to glow brighter than all those around him, capturing his spark. Richard is white, and the book’s ensemble visually reflects a wide range of identities.\u003cbr\u003e\nA poignant reflection on joyful resistance. \n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-648-9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5–8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e11 x 8\u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\/\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication date: August 4, 2026\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2026-01-12T10:39:04-05:00","created_at":"2025-12-02T10:22:50-05:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 3-6","Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Nonfiction","Browse by Format_Picture Book","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Art\/Music\/Theater","Browse by Subject_Diversity"],"price":1799,"price_min":1799,"price_max":1799,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":49093466915053,"title":"Hardcover","option1":"Hardcover","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"46489","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":45648933421293,"product_id":9214043783405,"position":1,"created_at":"2025-11-25T13:51:00-05:00","updated_at":"2025-11-25T13:51:01-05:00","alt":null,"width":600,"height":464,"src":"\/\/charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/a-place-to-dance-cover.jpg?v=1764096661","variant_ids":[49093466915053]},"available":true,"name":"A Place to Dance - Hardcover","public_title":"Hardcover","options":["Hardcover"],"price":1799,"weight":567,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":8,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"9781623546489","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":37280980205805,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.293,"height":464,"width":600,"src":"\/\/charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/a-place-to-dance-cover.jpg?v=1764096661"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[],"quantity_rule":{"min":1,"max":null,"increment":1}}],"images":["\/\/charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/a-place-to-dance-cover.jpg?v=1764096661"],"featured_image":"\/\/charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/a-place-to-dance-cover.jpg?v=1764096661","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":37280980205805,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.293,"height":464,"width":600,"src":"\/\/charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/a-place-to-dance-cover.jpg?v=1764096661"},"aspect_ratio":1.293,"height":464,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/a-place-to-dance-cover.jpg?v=1764096661","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\n\u003ch1\u003eA Place to Dance\u003c\/h1\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003eHow Richard Lamberty Brought Change to the Ballroom\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/eric-rosswood\"\u003eEric Rosswood\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/richard-lamberty\"\u003eRichard Lamberty\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/vincent-chen\"\u003eVincent Chen\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cb\u003eWho says only girls can twirl and boys must take the lead on the dance floor?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen dancer Richard Lamberty was a child, he loved dancing—especially ballroom dancing. But he was always jealous of the moves female dancers got to do. Intrigued by the female dancers’ different steps, Richard developed the skills to dance either role in order to compete with a male partner in the Gay Games in Europe. He then came back to the United States and cofounded April Follies, the longest-running and largest queer partner dance competition in North America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichard Lamberty is a two-time world champion ballroom dancer whose story inspires the LGBTQIA+ community to put on their dance shoes and do what they love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003e★ “An uplifting and thoughtfully rendered portrait that affirms how artistic conviction can reshape tradition and expand possibilities for inclusion . . .”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/my-dad-is-the-best\"\u003eMy Dad Is the Best\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/remember-her-name\"\u003eRemember Her Name!\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/a-place-to-dance-spread.jpg?v=1764096660\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/a-place-to-dance-cover.jpg?v=1764096661\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/a-place-to-dance-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1764096689\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEric Rosswood, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEric Rosswood is an author and commentator on LGBTQ issues, including civil rights, parenting, marriage, and politics. He has led panels on LGBTQ parenting issues for organizations such as the Family Equality Council and the Modern Family Alliance. Eric is the coauthor of \u003ci\u003eStrong\u003c\/i\u003e, a Stonewall Honor book, and the author of \u003ci\u003eMy Uncle's Wedding\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eQueer Cheer\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/eric-rosswood\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Eric.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRichard Lamberty, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichard Lamberty has been dancing for over forty years and teaching for more than thirty five. He has written extensively on the technique of standard and latin ballroom and was a cofounder of the April Follies dance competition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/richard-lamberty\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Richard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVincent Chen, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVincent Chen is a Taiwanese American illustrator from New Jersey. With a BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design, Vincent has always loved putting pencil to paper. He is the illustrator of \u003ci\u003eHot Pot Night\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eHenry Hamlet's Heart\u003c\/i\u003e. By day, he is a background painter in animation and by night, he illustrates children’s books.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/vincent-chen\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Vincent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?4673889858015672850\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEvocative language, such as “skip, spin, twirl, prance, and strut” brings this ­story of a young dancer to life. Joy can become a form of resistance, as shown in this biography. From childhood, Richard ­Lamberty recognizes dance as an authentic expression of self, even when adults attempt to ­temper or redirect that impulse. The narrative ­follows how that early certainty evolves into advocacy, culminating in his founding of April Follies to legitimize and expand opportunities for same-sex ballroom competition. What begins as personal passion becomes public work. Dance is presented as both disciplined craft and cultural ­intervention, challenging restrictive norms and widening the circle of belonging. Chen’s digital illustrations heighten this sense of ­movement and ­intention. Sweeping lines carry the eye across each spread, capturing lift, extension, and precision, allowing readers to feel the movement of dance through the ­illustrations. Saturated jewel tones and warm golds evoke stage light and celebration without veering into excess. The characterization feels contemporary and accessible while maintaining elegance. ­VERDICT An uplifting and thoughtfully rendered ­portrait that affirms how artistic conviction can reshape tradition and expand possibilities for ­inclusion; a necessary purchase.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?4673889858015672850\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLong-limbed, elegantly posed couples glide lyrically through this salute to Richard Lamberty, who helped pioneer the notion of same-sex ballroom dancing in this country. Readers will be swept along both by the art and by his story, which begins with him as the shortest first-grader, leading his class down the hall in glides and twists, clogging his way across the lunchroom, and jealously noting how only the girls at ballroom-dance camp got to spin, twirl, and dip. At 16 he was already teaching; a little later, he and a partner placed third in the world at the international Gay Games. In 2003, he cofounded “April Follies,” still the “largest and longest-running queer dance competition in North America.” Rosswood explains in a historical afterword that only in 2019 did a rules change allow same-gender couples to compete in “mainstream” ballroom events. “So, be yourself,” Lamberty concludes. “Be proud. And keep on dancing!” Considering the joy of movement that positively shines in Chen’s exuberant images of couples mixed of both race and gender twirling across the floor, it would be hard to do otherwise. The closing lists of kid-friendly print and web resources are excellent too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n Under studio lights and strict rules, a young dancer refuses to stay in step.\nThis picture-book biography, co-authored by its subject, focuses on the life of dancer Lamberty (b. 1959). As a teen, he falls for ballroom—jive, rumba, cha-cha—but bristles at the rigid roles that reserve all the fun flair for girls. Though his teachers shut him down, he practices both parts in private, twirling and dipping on his own. That determination sharpens his skill and leads to a job teaching dance, yet he still longs to perform freely. Years later, he spots a flyer for the Gay Games in Amsterdam. Finding a partner proves difficult at a time when many fear being openly themselves, but Richard persists. When he finally competes, he and his partner Tom place third in the world. The experience affirms what Richard already knows: If a true space of belonging doesn’t exist for him, he must build it from the ground up. He leans into queer advocacy and creates April Follies, an inclusive competition that welcomes dancers as they are. Chen’s digital illustrations feature fluid shapes and luminous gradients that convey motion and joy. Ribbonlike color sweeps guide the eye, while Richard seems to glow brighter than all those around him, capturing his spark. Richard is white, and the book’s ensemble visually reflects a wide range of identities.\u003cbr\u003e\nA poignant reflection on joyful resistance. \n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-648-9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5–8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e11 x 8\u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\/\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication date: August 4, 2026\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}