In spare prose and soft-pencil illustrations, Schick (a former dancer who studied with Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey) evokes a day in the life of a young African-American performer, beginning with a glimpse of home and school but focusing on dance class and her first stage appearance, when ``every movement feels more real than it ever has before'' and when last night's dreams combine with the morning's first hint of spring to create ``Things I can't say in words,'' but can suddenly express with dance. The appealing soft gray of the illustrations is just right for this mood piece; with precise yet understated line and gentle shading, Schick depicts the narrator's joy and captures the special grace of a memorable performance. (Picture book. 5-10)
