Friday, May 24, 2024

Stanley’s Secret by John Sulliver - ADVISABLE

Stanley’s Secret by John Sulliver, illustrated by Zach Manbeck. PICTURE BOOK. Paula Wiseman Book (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers), 2023. $19. 9781534487833

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Stanley is a quiet boy with a secret. He loves to tap dance. He doesn’t like parties and he can’t find his loud voice during his book report or when ordering his lunch, but in the quiet after school, or at home in front of his pet mice, Stanley breaks out the moves! One day, the principal summons him to her office. She’s discovered his secret and wants him to share it during the school talent show. Can Stanley find the courage to try?

With drawings in soft pastels and chalky lines, this boy with his tapping shoes is portrayed with orange-hued skin and blue hair. The tap-dancing moves of shuffle, heel, flap, stomp, and riff may need to be explained to children unfamiliar with this dance form, but the message that talents are for sharing is loud and clear. Witnessing Stanley enjoy a singular passion, approach the challenge to share it, and grow through this experience may be just the story a quieter student needs to help them find their voice, too.

--Reviewer: P.K. Foster, MLS, elementary school teacher-librarian

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