Ballet Backflip

Ella dreams of dancing, but she also wants to be taken seriously. She’s in Year 5 after all! When her dreams of being the lead in the ballet recital are dashed, she starts to wonder if it might be fun to try something new.

But when MEAN QUEEN PEACH takes up gymnastics and executes an AMAZING backflip in the playground, the school is taken over by the new craze. Will Ella backflip on her love of ballet? Can she bear to go along with Peach and her traitorous BFF Zoe?

Leap beside Ella as her secret thoughts uncover the truth about friendship and trying new things.

About the Author

Meredith Costain lives in Melbourne with her partner, fellow children's author Paul Collins, six chooks, a cat, a kelpie and a red heeler. Her work ranges from picture books through to popular fiction and non-fiction for older readers. She is the literary editor of national children's magazines, Comet, Explore and Challenge.

Meredith has won several awards for her writing, including the Mary Grant Bruce Story Award and the Aurealis Convenor's Award. Her picture book Doodledum Dancing, illustrated by Pamela Allen, was an Honour Book in the Early Childhood section of the 2007 CBC Book of the Year awards.

Her most recent picture book with Penguin is Bed Tails, published in 2009 and illustrated by Mitch Vane.

Meredith regularly presents writing workshops for kids and adults in libraries and schools.