This book touched me in a way, I felt really bad for the main character, Mina Smith. She was a dancer, she loved it so much and always practiced at the dance class she showed up to all the time. She worked very hard and even got a scholarship into an amazing dance camp. Mina was the only black girl in the camp and she felt like she didn't fit in, like she didn't belong. Her dance camp instructor told her the second time she came there that she failed and she doesn't have what it takes become a great dancer. She said she became too physically mature and she shouldn't continue dancing even though she loves doing it. At first, I didn't think the instructor, Miss Maddinton wouldn't be racist towards Mina because in the beginning she was treating her very nicely and saying that she has improved. Fortunately, she lots of friends the camp so when she was around them, she felt better and didn't feel sad the rest of the time.Sometimes Mina wished that she wasn't black, she thought her life would be easier if she was white. She thought that people would treat her better and look at her differently if she wasn't black. Her personality changed around people and she wasn't acting like herself because she was afraid that people wouldn't like the person that she really is. Eventually, she realized that it doesn't matter what people think about her and she started to act like herself even though that would make her get in trouble because like most people called her, a trouble maker.I thought this book was good to read because the author made the reader connect with the characters, what they are thinking, feeling, and what affects things and people can have towards you that you have to be aware of. Also, to not let nothing or no one stop you from doing what you love to do and say that you have failed. That's such a sad thing to say to some one. She basically crushed Mina's hopes and dreams of becoming a well known professional dancer. Just because she is black doesn't mean she doesn't have the potential to do certain things. Everyone can do anything if they believe they can, work hard and never give up. It's good that she had a loving family to support her through that tough time in her life. She was a very nice and clever person. It's a good thing that she stopped caring about what people think about her and focused on what she loves and what makes her happy.
The main charachter Mina is a young girl that realizes that racisim is brought up against her due to the color of her skin. Shes so passionate with dancing and is extremley exited when she got into a dance camp with a scolarship. Her bestfriend unfortunately did not did not get in becuse her parents could not afford it. Mina goes to the camp and writes back to her family and friend. She tries her best at dancing and is told repeatedly to try harder. Midway through the book i understood that Mina`s dance teacher does not like her and treats her differently due to her skin color. i took to understanding that Mina was lucky to go to dance camp which was taught by one of the best dancers only because she had a scholarship but the girls rest of the girls were white and their parents could afford to send them every summer. I believe Mina`s teacher didnt realy show any strange behavior towards Mina until the end. Mina`s teacher would say she needed more practice which would just make Mina think she wasn`t as good as she thought she was. Near the end Mina is told that she shouldnt dance at all. Mina was just a kid so i couldnt imagine how she must of felt when she is told this and is far away from home. I think her friends are one of the few people that helped her get through it because they are white and they were still friends with Mina and had little group talks in the dorm which made Mina feel conftorable. This made Mina believe that she could dance and comit to what has always been her dream.
The book Come a Stranger, by Cynthia Vogit is a inspiring book about growing up. The main character Mina Smiths, loves ballet and is very good at it. Her dream is to become a professional ballet dancer, a big problem though, is that she's black. Mina goes to a ballet camp for the summer and is the only black girl there. When she returns home, her friends say she has changed. She goes back to camp the next summer and the ballet teacher gives some bad news, Mina is told that she has to leave the camp. This is very hard on Mina, because she isn't sure why this happened. She is picked up from the camp by Mr. Ship, a summer minister for her father's Church. Mr. Ship and Mina become good friends during the long drive home. Mina learns a lot from Mr. Ship about how to deal with problems in life.This book gives a unique perspective of Mina's life problems and how she deals with discrimination. I like the part in the book when Mina meets Mr. Ship for the first time. Mina thinks, "He really did understand"(83). This book can teach people a lot about what other people have to go through in their lives.I recommend this book for people ages 12 to 16. People who enjoy ballet will also enjoy reading this book.
—Jillian Finelli
How Cynthia Voigt continues to write so profoundly about the Tillermans I do not know, but she kept up the level of quality very nicely in this book. Through the first hundred pages or so, I actually thought that Come a Stranger had a real shot at being my favorite book in the entire Tillerman cycle. This was not the case ultimately, but the story stuck with me well, and the vivid phrases used by the author to depict the feeling that the quietly indifferent racism of the other dance students gave to Mina stay with me very powerfully. In particular, when Mina describes the hurt caused by these attitudes as like teeth biting into her heart, I knew that I would never forget those words or this story. The connection to Tamer Shipp just about blew my mind, and I found myself waiting suspensefully for him to possibly meet the family of Bullet, who had been such a major influence on him in the previous story. Once again, I would highly recommend Come a Stranger, and would probably give it three and a half stars.
—Josiah
I love the Tillerman books and this was a new one to me. I found it somewhere for free and I'm glad I own it. It's told from the perspective of Dicey's African American friend, Mina. It's a fascinating look at a biracial friendship back when that didn't really happen. I have thought a lot about some of the themes in this book since I read it - particularly about what it means/meant to be black on the Eastern Shore, both now and 30-40 years ago. And yes, it's set on the Eastern Shore (Bay side) and so I have an new affinity for this book/this series now that I'm an adult and living here and not in Alaska! Highly recommended, especially if you know the other books in the Tillerman series.
—Laura
