Ellie in First Position: A Graphic Novel

Grades 3 to 6

Can a sport klutz reach her dream and dance? A charming and hilarious, slice of life, middle grade graphic novel about ten year old Electra who refuses to give up her dream to take ballet.

After moving, Ellie feels lonely in her new class. Mom has a solution, the girl needs to join the school’s sports team to make friends. There is only one problem, no matter what sport she tries Electra makes an utter fool of herself. In the middle of her misery, enchanted by her cousin’s ballet performance, Ellie suddenly knows what she wants more than anything, dancing. If only mom could agree.

A page turner, full of relatable conflicts, Ellie in First Position is a humorous, positive and heartwarming story about resilience, self-love, new experiences, and friendship. By the end of the book, Ellie doesn’t only learn to accept herself and her family, makes new friends and even has her first crush, but manages to deal with her bullies too.

Fans of The Babysitters Club, Fancy Nancy, or the Stepping Stones series will love Ellie in First Position.

About the Author

Brian Freschi has worked in the theatre and the performing arts for many years. He studied scriptwriting at the Accademia Internationale di Comics in Florence and has collaborated with the Manticora Collective since 2015. Brian’s books have been released by numerous publishers of children’s literature and comics. His work has been translated in many countries, including France and the U.S. He teaches scriptwriting at The Sign Academy in Florence and was nominated as Best Writer in the 2020 Boscarato Awards at the Treviso Comic Book Festival.

Elena Triolo is an illustrator and cartoonist from Tuscany. She has worked with the major Italian publishing houses and many different brands, and she teaches comics and illustration to adults and children. Elena has two major passions—drawing and ballet—and has a huge following on social media under her profile, @carotecannella. Ellie in First Position is the dynamic duo’s first graphic novel together.

Award-winning opera singer Nanette McGuinness is the translator of over 90 books and graphic novels for children and adults from French, Italian, German, and Spanish into English, including the much-loved Geronimo Stilton graphic novels. Her translation of Luisa: Now and Then was a 2019 Stonewall Honor Book and a 2020 GLLI YA Translated Honor Book.