Toeshoe Trouble (Sugar Plum Ballerinas, Book 2) by Whoopi Goldberg / 136 pages. Read in 7 days

Brenda is one scientific nine year old that loves Leonardo da Vinci. Brenda and her mom live in New York City and although they don’t have a lot of fancy things they do have one of the best mother and daughter relationships every girl wish they could have.  Brenda attends the Nutcraker School of Ballet with her ballerina sisters who love to “Backwards talk” in front of grown-ups. Together they are the “Sugar Plum Ballerinas” who stick together through thick and thin, and they each have a role in making sure nothing happens to their bond.  In this second series, Brenda finds herself caught up in a web of lies when her rich cousin Tiffany comes to stay with her and her mom for a few weeks.  To prove to her cousin that she has something valuable, she steals her ballerina teacher Ms. Debbé’s favorite ballerina slippers. These shoes are not just any pair of ballerina slippers, they were once the famous Miss Camilla Freeman’s ballerina toeshoes. Miss Camilla Freeman was the first black ballerina to dance at the Ballet Company of New York. Brenda wanted to out shine her cousin with something that may not be expensive but had some type of worth to it. So she stole the toeshoes out of Ms. Debbé’s office but after leaving them in her room for Tiffany’s dog Pookiepie to nibble on, she finds the toeshoes ripped to shreds. Brenda now near a panic attack calls her friends to devise a plan.  Together, they go as far as tracking Miss Camilla Freeman down at a book signing at the Crowe & Company Book Shop. There they also run into Ms. Debbé who happens to be accompanying Ms. Freeman at her book signing and for the first times she learns the truth about Miss Camilla’s toeshoes also. Although the Sugar Plum Sisters are embarrassed they still managed to get Ms. Debbé another pair of toeshoes, but an even better pair that makes Ms. Debbé happier than before. Everyone finally is feeling relieved and happy to have this lie just about over. Back at Brenda’s place, Tiffany learns the truth about the toeshoes also and is shocked. Tiffany confesses to Brenda that she has been the jealous one all along because she doesn’t have a loving relationship with her mom, like Brenda. Brenda was speechless and felt a fool for trying to please someone that was more jealous of her. Brenda learned her lesson and committed to not stealing ever again. A young girl's favorite! For readers age 9 and up.