A sweet, quiet ode to the courage within.
A young ballet dancer grapples with stage fright in this sparsely worded picture book.
Though she’s practiced tirelessly, the tan-skinned, dark-haired ballerina freezes before a performance and hides among the ruffled costumes instead of joining the others onstage. An older, pale-skinned dancer hears a sniffle, discovers her trembling beneath a giant tulle skirt, and offers her the bright red ribbon from her own hair. With the ribbon tied into her bun, the younger one finds her bravery renewed. The ribbon becomes a cherished good-luck charm through years of performances, shown in a single spread that features a sequence of the child dancing as time passes. But when the ribbon is lost before an important show, she must step into the spotlight without it—realizing the bravery was actually inside her. Rendered in charcoal, ink, and watercolor, Blackham’s illustrations feel tactile and windswept, expressive enough to do the heavy lifting of storytelling with only a smattering of words across the entire book. A muted palette of gray, powder blue, and pale pink lets the vivid red ribbon pop from each spread, while layered echoes of pressed leaves give the story a handmade warmth and depth. Poignant repetition is used in both imagery and words to a calming, comforting effect.
A sweet, quiet ode to the courage within. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9781665971683
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A muddled message shoots for the moon but never quite gets all the way off the ground.
A little mouse experiences BIG changes thanks to a spectacular talent.
Dee’s a singer to her core. She croons absolutely everywhere, so when her teacher Miss Pink suggests that her students bring in something that symbolizes what they enjoy doing, Dee brings in a song. As she sings it, however, her joy causes her to physically grow huge! At first this makes her feel special, but as the day goes on she feels lonely and out of place. Shrinking back to her normal size, she worries that this means she can never sing again. But thanks to the encouragement of her mother and little sister, she realizes that being special is nothing to be ashamed of. However, though her classmates have skills of their own, only Dee changes, indicating that some talents are more transformative than others. After all, while everyone is enthralled by Dee, Ren the turtle’s talent for drawing a replica of a space station is something he “made everyone watch.” The true standout in this show comes from Sinquett’s dynamic art, capable of encompassing the emotional highs and lows of elementary school kids. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A muddled message shoots for the moon but never quite gets all the way off the ground. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-368-07806-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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