I rarely participate in blog tours anymore, but this one feels more important than most. Even though Black History Month is just about over, it's never too late to learn about Black history and the people who made it happen. A great way to do that is by reading The Black Swans of Harlem by Karen Valby. The adult version of the book came out last year. A young adult version was published this month. What is the book about? Read on:

At the peak of the civil rights movement, Lydia Abarca was the first ballerina in a Black ballet company to grace the cover of Dance magazine. Alongside founding members Shelia Rohan and Gayle McKinney-Griffith and first-generation dancers Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells, Abarca invited a bright light to shine on Black professional classical dancers. Grit, determination, and exquisite artistry propelled these swans of Harlem to dizzying heights as they performed around the world for audiences that included celebrities, dignitaries, and royalty.

Forty years after the swans of Harlem made history, when Lydia's granddaughter wanted to show her own ballet class evidence of her grandmother's success, she found almost none — just some yellowing photographs and programs in the family basement. With The Swans of Harlem (Adapted for Young Adults), these revolutionary ballerinas and longtime friends give voice to their stories on and offstage, reclaiming their past so that it is finally recorded, acknowledged, and lauded, never to be lost again.

The adult edition (Knopf/Pantheon; April 2024), on which this Young Adult edition is based, has been hailed as “a captivating corrective to an often-whitewashed history” (Publishers Weekly, starred) and is in development as a Netflix miniseries under the helm of the producer behind Black Swan, 12 Years a Slave, Slumdog Millionaire, and numerous other box office hits.

Arriving to shelves just in time for Black History Month, this “poignant and gripping piece of little-known history” (Kirkus) will captivate fans of narrative nonfiction, dance memoirs, and forgotten histories and inspire readers of all ages and interests to chase their dreams and follow their hearts.

I haven't had time to read The Swans of Harlem yet, but I'm very intrigued by the story it tells. I'll definitely be picking it up soon. If you're also interested in reading it, you'll want to enter this giveaway to win a copy of the young adult edition of the book for yourself:

Grand Prize Giveaway:

- 5 winners will receive a paperback copy of The Swans of Harlem (Adapted for Young Adults) by Karen Valby.

- US only, we will select the winners and ship directly

- The giveaway starts at 12:01am ET on February 24th and ends March 9th at 11:59pm ET

- Rafflecopter giveaway link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/74cc7a8d7/?