Author(s): Melvin Burgess

New Children's Novels

Set in northern England during the 1984 miner's strike, Billy Elliot tells the story of a young working class boy who chooses not to follow his widowed father's instructions to train to be a boxer. Instead, fascinated by the ballet class sharing the same building as his gym, Billy hangs up his gloves to pursue dreams of being a dancer. But even as he discovers his virtuoso gift for ballet he must hide his triumph from his father and brother -- both miners on strike struggling to keep food on the table. A hit at last years Cannes Film Festival and a smash success in the UK just one week into its premiere, Billy Elliot is being hailed as one of the best films of the year.