Parents need to know that Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina, by Michaela DePrince with her mother, Elaine dePrince, is a frank and honest look at Michaela's life as a orphan in Sierra Leone, including the malnutrition, abuses, and atrocities she witnessed and suffered. There are descriptions of death, including the horrific murder of a pregnant teacher and her newborn. There's also discussion of Michaela's life in America, including her adjustment as an international adoptee, the death of her brother from AIDS, and her experience of racism in the dance world. Parents should be prepared to discuss child abuse, war horrors, interracial families, and cultural views of ballet.
