Thursday's Children: Rumer Godden

Doone Penny is a child with passion, and a gift - he is a born dancer, a ballet genius in the making. But though others may recognise the flame that burns in Doone, there is little encouragement from his family. His mother agonises over his pretty sister Crystal, also a dancer and full of self-regard. His father can't countenance his son dancing for a living, and his brothers dismiss him as a cissy. But Doone has ambition, tenacity and endurance beyond his years, and there is a fairytale ending in store - earned the hard way. Rumer Godden's classic for younger readers is a thrilling insight into the harsh, often brutal but ultimately joyful world of the ballet.