Harper is in the midst of a very busy 12-year-old life. She is a part of the DanceStarz studio, and is playing a pearl in the school play, The Little Mermaid. She also assists her sister with her show, Hailey on the Daily. All the action in her life sometimes causes Harper to fall soundly asleep in class. But balancing all her activities makes Harper a stress ball.

Regardless, she loves dance, and is always vying for a solo, competing against the other girls. She wants her routines to be perfect, and also enjoys sharing her talents on the set of the school play, especially with kids who need help with their dance moves and timing. In turn, they help her with her facial expressiveness while she dances. Occasionally, scheduled rehearsals between dance and the play can become a nightmare.

Hailey provides as much support to her sister as possible. She boosts Harper up when she is feeling down, and the girls give each other confidence. When Hailey is despondent about the future of her show, Harper gives her the courage to try another form of entertainment, singing. Hailey and Harper both love being the center of attention, and both find unique ways to shine.

The Callback by Maddie Ziegler, 2018

This is a very fun book about dance, theatre, and interpersonal drama. Author Maddie Ziegler appeared as a dancer on the TV show Dance Moms for six seasons. 

Maddie Ziegler's website

Books about dance
 

Maria Singh is growing up in California in 1945, during World War II. News of the war and the corresponding adult worries petulantly refuse to cease plaguing her. Cooking fat, gasoline, and other goods are rationed for the war effort. Maria wants peace to reign supreme, and simply pleads for people to stop fighting and spewing hate-filled language. 

She dreams of nothing more than playing ball. She is enamored with softball. She loves swinging the bat, running from base to base or to catch the ball, and getting dirty. Unfortunately, Papi does not share this view. The girl begs him for shorts so she will not soil her dress, but he will hear none of it. Maria needs to play this sport with her teammates.

Papi originates from India, and Mama comes from Mexico. The girl straddles the two cultures with some comfort, but resists Papi's sexist attitudes towards sports and girls. Maria is dedicated to softball, which serves as a welcome distraction from the war, and she should not have to feel guilty about, or make excuses for, her passion.

Step Up To the Plate, Maria Singh by Uma Krishnaswami, 2017

This is an interesting read about a girl's love of softball.

Uma Krishnasuami's website

Books about softball

Olivia is enjoying her 16-year-old life in Los Angeles, California. There is Theo, her almost boyfriend; "the Dads," Bell and Enrique; her brother, Jeremy; neighbor Davida and her chocolate Labrador, Hank; and Lola, her best friend forever. Most of all, there is food. Liv loves cooking with a passion, and dreams of studying at Le Cordon Bleu.

Then Jeremy gets arrested.

And Hank dies.

Not much can distract Olivia from her all-encompassing grief about the loss of the big dog that she walked for many years. She met him when he was eight weeks old, and he took all of her sadness away. He was large, goofy, and lovable, slobbered all over her and chewed up her favorite slippers. She misses every bit of him, and it is difficult to imagine life without him. Davida, of course, is also devastated.

Only making creations out of food removes all the cares and worries from Olivia's mind. The process of turning disparate parts into something spectacular… all her own… intrigues and captivates Olivia. She longs to become a chef and cannot wait to cook for Theo. Mixing, chopping, and sauteing vegetables makes her feel useful and productive in her world.

The Secret Ingredient by Stewart Lewis, 2013
 

Stewart Lewis' website

Books about cooking