‘Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins’ author to read Aug. 10

Children’s author Michelle Meadows will read her latest book, “Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins,” during story time at 9 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach. She will sign books after the reading from 10 a.m. to noon.

“Brave Ballerina” tells the story of Janet Collins, who wanted to be a ballerina in the 1930s and '40s, a time when racial segregation was widespread in the United States. Collins pursued dance with a passion, seeking private lessons after being excluded from discriminatory dance schools. She was accepted into the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo as a teenager, on the condition that she paint her skin white for performances. Collins refused. Eventually, she became the first African American prima ballerina in the Metropolitan Opera.

Meadows has written 10 children’s books. Her first, “The Way the Storm Stops,” was inspired by her experience trying to calm her youngest son to sleep during a nighttime thunderstorm. In the story, Meadows turns the booming storm into a lullaby.

Many of her books focus on themes of connection and compassion – from bears who comfort other animals in “Hibernation Station,” to bugs who protect fellow insects in danger in “Super Bugs.”

Meadows is working on her next book, “Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles.”

She will be a featured author at the History Book Festival to be held in Lewes Friday to Sunday, Sept. 27 to 29.