Lanie [eBook - NC Kids Digital Library] : American girl: girl of the year 2010 series, book 1

Isabelle is excited about starting her first year at the Anna Hart School of the Arts! But she can't help comparing herself to her older sister, Jade, who attends the same school and is an amazing ballerina. Isabelle's other classmates are equally talented, and she starts wondering whether she really belongs at her new school. She earns a role in the fall festival, but she struggles during rehearsals. Can Isabelle learn how to focus less on those around her and more on her own dancing? With help from her sister and her friends, Isabelle may discover a unique talent that she can truly call her own. Lanie is an "outside" girl who is stuck with an "inside" family. She longs to go camping, explore the outdoors, and have real adventures, but no one else in her family is interested. To make matters worse, Lanie's best friend is far away and living out their dreams of becoming wildlife biologists---without her! When Lanie's aunt comes to stay with them, Lanie finds a kindred spirit and embarks on an exciting project--planting a wild garden---but she faces competition with her younger sister Emily for their aunt's attention. Then her aunt leaves, and Lanie again feels alone & abandoned once again. Gradually, after a blowup with her younger sister, she finds support for her interests where she least expects it--within her own family. Likewise, she discovers the beauty and wonder of nature where she didn't expect to find it--right in her own backyard