Ice Dancer
Alex Cotter
Nosy Crow

Dina and her younger brothers have bid a temporary farewell to the hills of Wales to stay with their Aunt JJ in Sheffield. However, they receive what Dina finds a very cool welcome by JJ who seems nothing like she’d remembered. Already struggling to cope with losing her older sister, Sasha, as well as her parents splitting up, Dina is feeling very edgy and isolated.

Soon after arriving at their aunt’s, Dina spies an old pair of ice skates that she recognises as belonging to her Great-Gran Kendra. After some harsh words between her and JJ, Dina feels the need to skate. She takes the skates and heads to the local rink. Skating gives her a sense of freedom and she feels passionate about it; however she has difficulty when it comes to mixing with other people, especially strangers, so Dina feels torn in this new situation but skate she must and soon her inside knots begin to loosen. She does though, pick up on the hostility among the other skaters but one girl, Rosie, a talented skater befriends her.

Rosie is not happy with the partner she has for the upcoming Winter Wonderland Showcase. Could Dina perhaps take his place? She’d dearly love to but that would mean staying with JJ another three weeks and attending a local school. Another skate with Rosie confirms that it would be worth it and despite coach Helena’s antagonism based on something from her mum’s past, Dina knows she must dig deep and find the courage to follow her dreams.

With things from her family’s past starting to emerge and true feelings not being discussed, family members must start to listen properly to one another; that will enable them to emerge stronger than before. Indeed family is central to the whole story, that and the power of friendship, not forgetting the satisfaction, Dina’s pursuit of skating brings.

The way the author captures Dina’s passion is superb, bringing out the joy of creativity and her willingness, (along with Rosie) to challenge skating’s long-held rules concerning appropriate roles for male and female skaters.

A terrific story for older readers – thought-provoking and full of adventure and mystery. You’ll find it had to put it down till you reach the final page.