Mirette was always fascinated by the strange and interesting people who stayed in her mother's boardinghouse. But no one excited her as much as Bellini, who walks the clothesline with the grace and ease of a bird. When Mirette discovers that fear has kept him from performing for years, she knows she must repay him for the kindness he has shown her -- and show him that sometimes a student can be the greatest teacher of all.-- "Young readers will want to pull on their own high-button boots and join Mirette as she dances between the rooftops". -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review-- "A satisfying, high-spirited adventure". -- School Library Journal, starred review