Alex Ko Releases FROM IOWA TO BROADWAY, MY BILLY ELLIOT STORY

From sixteen-year-old Broadway star Alex Ko comes Alex Ko: FROM IOWA TO BROADWAY, MY Billy Elliot STORY (9780062236012; on-sale: 4/30/2013; Ages: 8 - 12; $16.99), described as a powerful memoir about perseverance, determination, and following your dream, no matter how big or small it is.

This is a personal and moving story of one kid's journey from small town Iowa to landing the starring role on Broadway in Billy Elliot. Alex's resolve to hold on to his dream of performing despite all that he had to overcome-his dad's death from cancer, financial struggles, and making the journey from Iowa City to performing as Billy in Billy

Elliot, sustaining a crushing injury and triumphantly returning to the stage.

It's both an inspirational tale and an exclusive look at the world of backstage Broadway, told through the eyes of someone who readers, especially tweens, can relate to: a young boy from Iowa fresh off the plane, without some big agent or famous connections, one who dared to dream big.

Alex Ko made his Broadway debut at the age of 13 in the title role of Billy in the Tony Award winning Billy Elliot: The Musical. Alex studied dance from the time he was five years old, and at the age of 12, he was the youngest student admitted to the University of Iowa Dance Department, where he received college credit with honors distinction. Alex was guided by ballet masters Eloy Barragan and George de la Peña in Iowa City and by Peter O'Brien and Wilhelm Burmann in New York City. Alex has had the distinct honor of being a guest dancer at The White House and has appeared on ABC Family's Bunheads. Alex has won national and regional dance titles and is a USA gymnastics champion coached by 1996 Olympic Gold medalist, Dmitri Trouch.