Description
Coming August 4, 2026. Pre-order today!
A Place to Dance
How Richard Lamberty Brought Change to the Ballroom
By: Eric Rosswood and Richard Lamberty / Illustrated by: Vincent Chen
Who says only girls can twirl and boys must take the lead on the dance floor?
When dancer Richard Lamberty was a child, he loved dancing—especially ballroom dancing. But he was always jealous of the moves female dancers got to do. Intrigued by the female dancers’ different steps, Richard developed the skills to dance either role in order to compete with a male partner in the Gay Games in Europe. He then came back to the United States and cofounded April Follies, the longest-running and largest queer partner dance competition in North America.
Richard Lamberty is a two-time world champion ballroom dancer whose story inspires the LGBTQIA+ community to put on their dance shoes and do what they love.
★ “An uplifting and thoughtfully rendered portrait that affirms how artistic conviction can reshape tradition and expand possibilities for inclusion . . .”
—School Library Journal, starred review
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Author & Illustrator
Eric Rosswood, author
Eric Rosswood is an author and commentator on LGBTQ issues, including civil rights, parenting, marriage, and politics. He has led panels on LGBTQ parenting issues for organizations such as the Family Equality Council and the Modern Family Alliance. Eric is the coauthor of Strong, a Stonewall Honor book, and the author of My Uncle’s Wedding and Queer Cheer.
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Richard Lamberty, author
Richard Lamberty has been dancing for over forty years and teaching for more than thirty five. He has written extensively on the technique of standard and latin ballroom and was a cofounder of the April Follies dance competition.
Read more about Richard.
Vincent Chen, illustrator
Vincent Chen is a Taiwanese American illustrator from New Jersey. With a BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design, Vincent has always loved putting pencil to paper. He is the illustrator of Hot Pot Night and Henry Hamlet’s Heart. By day, he is a background painter in animation and by night, he illustrates children’s books.
Read more about Vincent.
Awards & Honors
- Coming soon!
Editorial Reviews
School Library Journal, starred review
Evocative language, such as “skip, spin, twirl, prance, and strut” brings this story of a young dancer to life. Joy can become a form of resistance, as shown in this biography. From childhood, Richard Lamberty recognizes dance as an authentic expression of self, even when adults attempt to temper or redirect that impulse. The narrative follows how that early certainty evolves into advocacy, culminating in his founding of April Follies to legitimize and expand opportunities for same-sex ballroom competition. What begins as personal passion becomes public work. Dance is presented as both disciplined craft and cultural intervention, challenging restrictive norms and widening the circle of belonging. Chen’s digital illustrations heighten this sense of movement and intention. Sweeping lines carry the eye across each spread, capturing lift, extension, and precision, allowing readers to feel the movement of dance through the illustrations. Saturated jewel tones and warm golds evoke stage light and celebration without veering into excess. The characterization feels contemporary and accessible while maintaining elegance. VERDICT An uplifting and thoughtfully rendered portrait that affirms how artistic conviction can reshape tradition and expand possibilities for inclusion; a necessary purchase.
Details
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-62354-648-9
Ages: 5–8
Page count: 32
11 x 81/2
Publication date: August 4, 2026
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