Misty Copeland is a force. The wife and mom made history in 2015 as the first Black female principal dancer in the 75-year history of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). Copeland made her Broadway debut in On the Town in 2015 and her feature film debut in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms from Disney in 2018. She’s also been named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine, toured as a featured dancer with Prince and appeared in award-winning athletic advertising campaigns. By previous dance industry standards, she started en pointe ballet late at age 13, which further proves her amazing talent and drive.

The trailblazer is also a celebrated author who has penned multiple New York Times bestsellers. In addition, her award-winning children’s books are praised for expanding representation in the arts and dance spaces. This month, the 43-year-old returns to the literary scene with Firebird Waltz. Released on August 25, the book is Copeland’s first title in her new middle grade book collection. The Star Fire Academy Series is designed for youth ages 8-12 (grades 3-7).

The busy cultural icon made time for ESSENCE to share her inspiration for Firebird Waltz, why she never wants her books to feel like an afterschool special type of “lesson”, why mentorship is important to her and how she intends to spend the last few weeks of summer.

ESSENCE: Misty, you have authored several best selling children’s books, but Firebird Waltz is your first middle grade book. Why this book and why now?
MISTY COPELAND: It felt like a natural next step for me. I’ve loved speaking to younger children through my books, but with a middle grade story there’s more room to go deeper into what kids are experiencing at that age. Friendship, identity, confidence, pressure, figuring out who you are and where you belong.

Dance is at the center of the story, of course, but it’s really about growing into yourself. I also wanted to create a world that young people could completely escape into, fall in love with, and hopefully want to keep coming back to.

ESSENCE: Who was your inspiration for the book’s main character, Josie?
COPELAND: There are definitely pieces of me in Josie, but she isn’t me. I know what it feels like to walk into a space and wonder if you belong there, especially in the ballet world. I also know what it’s like to be focused and ambitious at a young age while still having insecurities and trying to figure yourself out.

Josie has her own personality and her own journey, but so much of what she feels is familiar to me. That desire to work hard, to prove yourself, but also to understand what makes you unique and learn to trust that.

ESSENCE: And what about Josie’s teacher, Miss Fiona?
COPELAND: Miss Fiona is a combination of teachers I’ve known throughout my life. I’ve had teachers who were incredibly demanding but who also saw something in me before I could fully see it in myself. I wanted Miss Fiona to have that complexity. She can be intimidating and tough, but underneath that there’s care and a real sense of responsibility. I think some of the teachers who stay with us the longest are the ones who challenge us while also making us feel seen.

ESSENCE: Students in their tween years, around 10 to 12, are faced with so much pressure from social media these days. Did you consider this when writing Firebird Waltz?
COPELAND: Absolutely. Young people are comparing themselves to everyone all the time now, and it starts so early. That feeling of not being good enough or not measuring up can become so much louder because of social media. I didn’t want social media itself to become the focus of the book, but those pressures are definitely part of the emotional world Josie is living in. She’s surrounded by incredibly talented people and is constantly trying to understand where she fits and what makes her different. The larger message is that your value isn’t about being exactly like everyone around you. It’s about discovering what you bring that no one else can.

ESSENCE: Your books impart important values for readers, particularly young children, through rich storytelling.
COPELAND: Definitely, but I never want it to feel like I’m handing the reader a lesson. I want those ideas to come naturally through the characters and what they’re going through. There are themes of friendship, courage, resilience, empathy and learning to believe in yourself. One thing that’s important is this idea that being talented isn’t only about what you can accomplish individually. There’s also power in how you show up for other people, how you support them and help them see what’s possible for themselves.

ESSENCE: What’s next for the Star Fire Academy series?
COPELAND: There’s much more of the world that I want to explore. I’m interested in the mentorship, the friendships and the sense of community within the school. Ultimately, I want young people to see themselves somewhere in these characters, whether they’ve ever stepped into a dance studio or not. Young people inspire me so much right now. Through The Misty Copeland Foundation, I get to see kids discovering dance, finding confidence and realizing that there are spaces where they belong. There’s something so honest and fearless about the way children approach creativity before the world starts telling them all the reasons they shouldn’t.

ESSENCE: Lastly, share one fun thing you hope to do, that you haven’t yet, before summer is over.
COPELAND: Honestly, I’m looking forward to slowing down. It’s been such a full summer, and I’m excited to be near the water, spend time with my family, and have a few days where there isn’t much of a schedule. That sounds pretty perfect to me right now.