Daria Peoples-Riley

The text and illustrations coincide perfectly. Before walking into dance auditions a young battles her inner thoughts, displayed by her shadow. Her shadow stands tall, fearless, bold, eager to display her talent. Whereas the little girl looks worried, scared and discouraged. Her shadow reinforces her strength and skill, leading her into auditions ready to give it her all.

A young child questions whether America accepts all its residents in the way that they love their country.

This is a thought-provoking read that provides a counter to mindlessly reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Children of color may find the story resonates with their own experiences while white children should be read this to get a sense of what it is like to be outside the majority.

The illustrations are striking and eye-catching.

The book ends with an author's note that explains her show more family's background and her inspiration in writing this book. show less

I just did not connect with the poetic cadence and the murky, grayish art. It's one of those picture books where the Author's Note is the most interesting part of the book.

(Another project! I'm reading all the picture books and graphic novels from NPR's Books We Love 2021: Kids’ Books list.)

This book could be read individually by a primary aged reader. It includes few words, focusing primarily on the illustrations to tell the story of a girl about to audition who is given words of encouragement about her dancing skills. It encourages her to embrace what she loves and dance with her whole heart.

Students who love to dance or perform and may experience performance anxiety could be very motivated by the few simple words and depictions in this book. It reminds the readers to follow show more their dreams. show less