Balancing Act
“Hana’s mum says she’s always wanted to get things right.”
About this resource
Series: School Journal Level 3 November 2022
Reading year level: 6
Topics: ballet, dancing, self-care, wellbeing
Balancing Act
Words by Sarah Penwarden
Illustrations by Lisa Baudry
Hana’s mum says she’s always wanted to get things right.
Hana’s in her room with the door closed. She’s dancing in bare feet. There’s just enough space. She turns carefully, feels her calf muscles, strong and tight; concentrates on using her core strength. It’s a classic move, the arabesque. But it can be hard without a bar.
Order Copies
More from this series
Heading
School Journal Level 3 November 2022
Inside this School Journal are two articles (The Kaukalaikiki Girl; Living by the Maramataka), three stories (Balancing Act; Best Wedding Ever; Kāinga), one poem (A Good Kaitiaki), one student writing (Sumner Beach) and one play (All Rise).
1 of 8The Kaukalaikiki Girl
Pusi Urale’s journey from cheeky girl to artist. When she was a girl, Pusi Urale was often told she was kaukalaikiki. The word is informal Samoan and means cheeky or naughty. Mostly it’s used to describe girls who don’t quite behave the way society expects them to. But Pusi doesn’t see being kaukal...
2 of 8Living by the Maramataka
Heeni Hoterene is a kaitiaki of maramataka. Heeni Hoterene grew up in Horowhenua. (On her mother’s side, one of her iwi is Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga.) The area is famous for its good climate and good soil, and Heeni’s whānau had a big vegie garden.
3 of 8Best Wedding Ever
Levi’s dads are getting married, but he has other things on his mind.
4 of 8A Good Kaitiaki
When I was six, I got the kaitiaki award for saving a bee that landed in the school pool, and Mum’s held it over me ever since.
5 of 8Kāinga
We push up the slope, hands held tight, the sweat like oil between our palms. I squeeze harder. If Grace gets away, she’ll break free and dash up the track. The ground’s hard as concrete. She can run faster than me.
6 of 8Sumner Beach
A Poem about Sumner Beach by Elise Mackay, year 5, Russley School
7 of 8All Rise
Everyone knows the story of the Little Red Hen. Undervalued. Overworked. A feathery legend from down on the farm…
8 of 8
