Synopses & Reviews
On the day of the talent show, a boy is ready to sing his song, and he isn't one bit scared because he has practiced a billion times, plus he's wearing his lucky blue boots and his pants with all ten pockets. But as all of the other kids perform before him, he gets more and more nervous. How the boy overcomes his fear of performing in front of the class makes a charming and funny read-aloud, complete with ten novelty flaps to lift. A Margaret Ferguson Book
Review
"A little boy tries to convince himself that he is ready to sing his song in the class talent show . . . Viorst communicates the turmoil and the resolution in innovative ways . . . The result is an abstracted, expressive exploration of apprehension, made accessible with careful language and thoughtful imagery." - Booklist "There's so much going on in this kid-friendly book - and all of it great." - The Horn Book "A boy waits with increasing trepidation for his turn in the class talent show in this cumulative story . . . Viorst ably returns to the familiar trope of vanquishing childhood fears, nicely abetted by the talented Blackall." - Kirkus Reviews "It was an inspiration to pair Viorst and Blackall in this funny, ingenious, and true-to-life story about stage fright." -Publisher's Weekly STARRED REVIEW "This is a good school story with clever art. Clearly both author and illustrator had fun creating it, and students will have no trouble enjoying it." - School Library Journal
About the Author
Judith Viorst is the author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, among other books for children and adults. She is also a newspaper columnist who frequently writes for The New York Times and the Washington Post. She lives in Washington, D.C. Sophie Blackall has illustrated many books for young readers, including Meet Wild Boars and The Big Red Lollipop. She is also the illustrator of the popular series Ivy and Bean. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her two children.