101 Ways to Dance

A quirky collection of stories about teens in lust and in love. From the first stirrings of same-sex desire to paternity questions around a teen pregnancy, 101 Ways to Dance reflects the spectrum of teen sexuality from the sweet to the scary.

Kathy Stinson has loved reading all her life but was almost thirty when she discovered she loves writing too. She is the author of over thirty books for young people, including the classic Red Is Best and the award-winning The Man with the Violin. When not reading or writing, she enjoys photography, jigsaw puzzles, crosswords and walking in the woods and fields near her home in Rockwood, Ontario.

• Canadian Library Association Young Adult Canadian Book AwardShort-listed 2007
• OLA Best Bets Top Ten List for 2006 – Young AdultShort-listed 2006

"The voices of the authentic and memorable characters in this wide-ranging set of stories are clear and often, wise. Their love is real, their issues relevant and although the subject matter can be unsettling for parents who want to believe their teens know nothing about sexuality, this book is of great importance for encouraging discussion and respecting their need to know more."

"The writing is engaging, and the characters are empathetic. 101 Ways to Dance successfully removes much of the shame associated with burgeoning sexuality... and accurately represents a diverse range of experiences."

"This collection of short stories will open a wide variety of conversational doors for teens and for the adults around them. In a world where there is so much focus on 'media sex,' this book presents an excellent opportunity to examine how ordinary teens deal with their sexuality without being at all judgmental about their feelings. Highly recommended."

"This book has something for everyone and is really heartfelt, while still maintaining objectivity."

"I think that of the short story collections for teens that I've read this year, this might be my favourite... There's a mix of stories and we get many aspects of human sexuality covered."

"101 Ways to Dance doesn't aim to give answers to tough questions. Instead it offers something much more valuable: wisdom that teens will carry with them long after they've finished the last story in this great collection."

"Kathy Stinson has created believable, likeable characters and realistic storylines that teenagers will be able to identify with, even if they have not had similar experiences. Each story is a gem, a refreshing coming-of-age tale, and I would highly encourage every teenager to go out and read this book, because it shows us that there truly are one-hundred-and-one (and many, many more) ways to dance."

"I appreciated that the stories were sex-positive without assuming heteronormativity; there is no one right way to approach sex, and this book is, as Stinson herself says, a positive and safe way to explore one's sexual curiosity."