Sing If You Can’t Dance: Alexia Casale
£7.10£8.50 (-16%)
An entirely original and much needed authentic perspective from a teenager coming to terms with her disability as she’s coming of age.
Ven has her future all planned out. Her dance group is going places and so is she . . . Then she collapses. On stage.
In hospital, Ven discovers that she has a medical condition – one that threatens to ruin everything. No more dancing . . . walking is challenging enough. But she doesn’t want your pity. Ven is determined to have a big, exciting life. Sure, her future might be different, but it’s not over . . . Because if you can’t dance, you can always sing!
Refreshing, uplifting and original, Sing if you Can’t Dance is the unforgettable story of a teenager living life on her own terms.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Faber & Faber, Main edition (6 July 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 336 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0571373801 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0571373802 |
| Reading age | 12 years and up |
| Dimensions | 12.9 x 2 x 19.8 cm |
by Mrs R Hammond
The best #ownvoice books open a sliding door. I learned so much in @AlexiaCasale
‘s #SingIfYouCan’tDance. Ven is the kind of leading girl I love: grumpy, sharp, funny, golden-hearted, and doesn’t take life’s knock’s lying down (except she has to). Her on-off relationship, the un-chocolateboxness of it all, the humour — gusty YA at its best.
by Mr P
Alexia Casale manages to present extremely moving themes in a light hearted way. Somehow, this makes the point more impactful, less Hollywood, and more real life. There were times I had to put this down to take a breather and then needed to pick it back up to find out more – Casale manages to immerse into the main character’s life that you empathise beyond what is usually possible in literature of this nature.
by Lysistrata
This is both a tender love story (with brilliant comic moments) and a story of triumph over adversity. It is Ven`s story as she navigates her way through Sixth Form and a festival, with legs she cannot always rely on. Instead of crumbling she pushes to the edge of her physical limitations, falls in love and fashions a more than adequate life for herself through sheer courage and determination. As Ven says, “I am the life I make happen.” We can all take hope and inspiration from that.
by Erin
A friend gave me this and I was really put off by the title. I thought it was going to be either a very heavy, long build up about the “accident” where she gets ill (IE very emotional and just negative), or it was going to have a cheesy ending where she gets better and everyone is fine. Instead it’s a raw but funny story of so many of us with chronic illness. I loved that she never told us what was wrong with Ven. It’s very true that we don’t want to be introduced by our disability, we are all so much more then that. The author wrote it so well. There are so many brilliant true bits – not being able to get a disabled parking space because someone else used it without a Blue Badge, and the person gets angry with you when you ask them to move. The morphine bottle being impossible to open, especially when you’re in extra pain… It is indeed a terrible design! Ven is a brilliant character – spunky and fun. She obviously has to grow throughout the book, and learn that it’s ok to have more help, do things differently, and for her this includes getting a wheelchair. I also enjoyed the interactions with the medics where for example they don’t believe she has dislocated because she “walked in fine”… Unfortunately these situations are extremely common and I don’t know anyone chronically ill who hasn’t undergone a version of them. But despite all this it’s a joyful book. It’s about first love (a very positive one), finding friendships, and the ongoing process of learning to love your body even though it doesn’t seem to love you back most of the time! It doesn’t end in a twee perfect manner, but with Ven in a much better place. She’s a very believable character. Beautifully written book. As I say I would never have bought it as I had preconceived ideas due to the title – I really thought it was going to be a hard story but with a chocolate box ending of her being cured. I’m so glad I was given this book and therefore felt obliged to read it! I enjoyed it so much. I hope the author is proud of writing this book and will go on to write more. Love the style.
by Mrs R Hammond
Sooo good. I welled-up several times! Sing if You Can’t Dance by Alexia Casale is bold & hopeful, with a sassy MC & outstanding support characters. Tough themes handled so beautifully, it could melt the coldest of hearts. This book deserves to be on Empathy Lab UK’s next list IMO!
by Nuala O’Loan
A brilliant book! Great characters, a wonderful story with so much humour, gritty reality and positivity. One of those books you can’t put down!
by Sam 70
This is a story about first love amidst the complexities of teens on the cusp of adulthood as they grapple with changing friendships, first love, rivalries and sheer discrimination. Told from the point of view of sixteen year old Ven, who speaks directly to the reader, we get a full on, no holds barred insight into her emotions. With her life completely up-ended just over a year before this novel begins, we see glimpses of who she was before compared to who she is now. Ven has an undisclosed chronic illness which has changed the shape and course of her life. As she works her way through the reality of her newfound physical limitations and pain, we learn alongside her a different way of living life with new challenges, highs and lows, triumphs and disasters along the way. As Ven learns that what you see in others isn’t always the story you presume, as her bloody-minded drive for independence is tempered and honed into something more akin to resilience, we see hope, that life can be good even when circumstances are the opposite. Ven isn’t always likeable, but I found myself rooting for her as she works through the various obstacles in her path. This book avoids the usual tropes of disability being something to either inspire or pity, and is all the more refreshing for that.
by Tia Fisher
I don’t know if I just didn’t pay close enough attention to the description when requesting this, but I hadn’t realised or had forgotten that it was YA and how young the characters are. That being said, this was a great read and I no will be incredible for so many young people learning to live with a chronic illness. The symptoms I deal with aren’t as severe, and I seem to be one of the lucky few who hasn’t had their symptoms disregarded and ignored by doctors, there was still so much of this that resonated with me. Ven is severe and sharp and angry but I don’t think you could read what she goes through and not understand why she has such a short temper and so little patience. Who determination to live her life the way she wants is incredible even while you’re also screaming at her to take a break and accept some help. The relationship between Ven and Ren screams teenager, it’s tentative and soft but also full of mistakes and wrong turns but I think that makes it more believable. They’ve both gone through huge changes and it would be wild if they were both meek and perfect.