(1) K-3 Illustrated by Kate Berube. Barnett and Berube offer a sensitive story about a boy grappling with stage fright and insecurity. The main character, John, walks into the narrative on the front endpaper carrying a duffle bag, his shoulders slumped and his eyes downcast. A page-turn welcomes readers into a busy school auditorium where breakfast is ending and children are beginning to sit in front of a stage. An unnamed narrator explains the school's weekly Sharing Gifts assembly and notes John's anxiety: "He was quiet at breakfast. We knew why." Barnett's use of "we" builds a sense of intimacy, reinforced by Berube's warm ink and paint illustrations depicting students with many different skin tones, hair types and textures, and affects. The pace slows and suspense builds over a number of pages that show John suiting up in his ballet leotard and contemplating what he is about to face. A double-page spread puts readers onstage with the boy looking out at students who are distracted and whispering. Then Berube's illustrations burst into motion in a series of wordless spreads as John begins dancing. He's absorbed in his joy, and his classmates--and readers--become as enraptured as he is. Barnett and Berube bring mastery of craft as well as an understanding of human nature to offer a fresh take on a familiar theme.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kate Berube. A child in a brown, bear-eared hoodie decides that the half-moon must be lonely and vows to keep "him" company every night until "he" grows from a half-moon to a full moon. The mixed-media illustrations do a wonderful job depicting the night skies while still keeping the focus on the child; the rhyming text is exuberant if at times a bit forced.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kate Berube. It's difficult at first, but Nick persists until he manages to teach his cat Verne to read. However, his other cat, Stevenson, who looks grumpy in the expressive illustrations, continues to resist--until Stevenson's pirate drawings are discovered and turned into a story. There's humor for adults and children alike in this enjoyable book about reading and the imaginative play it can inspire.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert