The plot begins in the 1840’s in New York City, circling around the life of Juba. Juba is free black man who has to work many jobs in order to provide for himself. He also finds out that he has a knack for dancing after witnessing Irish jig. This leads him to dancing minstrel shows, but because of his race, he can’t perform at a higher level. He then travels to England to showcase his talent and be taken seriously for his skills.
I liked the overall plot of the book. This is because despite his race, he still continues to perform and doesn’t give up on his dream of becoming a dancer. Some parts of the story were a little boring, but then the story picks back up on its normal pace. Something that I disliked about this book was the love interest of Juba. In the final fourth of the book, she is thrown into the story more and more. However in the first three-fourth’s of the book, she is not mentioned as much and is not given many supporting details for her role.
One thing that is memorable about this book is Juba’s insane amount of perseverance. Although he is constantly looked down upon and put in relegation shows, he constantly strives to be the best. He never gives up and will works to reach his goals of becoming a world known dancer, despite of his race.
Reviewed by Kevin, Grade 9, Twin Hickory Area Library
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