A charming ode to dreams as big as Broadway—and a sweet reminder that everyone deserves to pursue their aspirations.
The late Shuford, a theatrical performer who with his spouse, Stephen Hanna, chronicled their lives on the Instagram account Broadway Husbands, pays tribute to the pull of theater with this semiautobiographical tale.
While some parents read bedtime stories and tuck their children in, our young protagonist’s fathers spend their evenings singing and dancing for packed audiences. Told from the child’s perspective and addressing readers in second person, the narrative captures both the excitement of backstage life and the tranquility of cozy family routines. The young narrator understands that his dads’ jobs may look different from those of other parents, but he treasures their daytime moments together and admires the passion that sends them downtown each night to chase their dreams—passion that encourages him to dream big, too. The loose rhyming couplets create a playful, energetic rhythm, though some lines feel uneven, constrained by the rhyming form. Hager’s warm digital illustrations have a cheerful gouache feel, using shifts in layout and lighting to blur the line between everyday family life and the magic of the stage. Both fathers and their son read white. Particularly refreshing is the book’s casual representation of a two-dad family. Shuford died of cancer before the printing of this book, making its message all the more poignant.
A charming ode to dreams as big as Broadway—and a sweet reminder that everyone deserves to pursue their aspirations. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
ISBN: 9798217141111
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Not astonishingly go-out-and-buy-it-at-graduation inspirational, but all it takes is one seed of change to be planted.
Imagination soars—quite literally—when a little girl follows her own set of rules.
Every year Oak Hill School has a go-kart race called the Going Places contest. Students are given identical go-kart kits with a precise set of instructions. And of course, every single kart ends up exactly the same. Every one, that is, except Maya’s. Maya is a dreamy artist, and she would rather sketch birds in her backyard than get caught up in the competition. When she finally does start working, she uses the parts in the go-kart box but creates something completely different. No one ever said it had to be a go-kart. Maya’s creative thinking inspires Rafael, her neighbor (and the most enthusiastic Going Places contestant), to ask to team up. The instructions never say they couldn’t work together, either! An ode to creativity and individuality to be sure, but the Reynolds brothers are also taking a swipe at modern education: Endless repetition and following instructions without question create a culture of conformity. Hopefully now, readers will see infinite possibility every time the system hands them an identical go-kart box.
Not astonishingly go-out-and-buy-it-at-graduation inspirational, but all it takes is one seed of change to be planted. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-6608-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2014
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