"Hey guys! What's up?
Wanna go to the park and
play touch football?
Sorry, Olive. We really
want to work on our dance
routine for the show.
Oh ... Okay."
Olive enjoys her friendships, and she has many at school, in the neighborhood, and on the bus. When an announcement concerning the fifth grade variety show leaves her without a partner, she begins to worry. Everyone else has a part to play in the show; she does not. Did they not want to be with them? Her mother notices her sadness and asks about it.
"Nobody wants to do an act with me
for the school variety show.
No one?
Nobody.
None of the kids from your class?
No.
The kids from the neighborhood.
No.
Your friends on the bus?
Nope.
The girls you sit with at lunch?
No!
You asked all of your friends
to be in an act with you and they
all said no?
Well, not exactly."
Her mother has a suggestion; it is not acceptable to Olive. Instead, she begins to wonder about her place in the world. She has nightmares, is anxious, talks with her aunt who offers advice and is grouchy with her family. She doesn't want to ask to be part of an already formed group. It takes some introspection and a serendipitous sleepover with her aunt to help her decide what her part in the show could be.
As her friends offer her a place with them, she remains confident that she has found the perfect role. Recognizing that her friends had no intention of leaving her out on purpose gives her even more confidence. The night of the show she proves she made the right decision.
Ms. Miller's artwork extends the premise of her story, and makes it easily accessible for readers from 9 to 12. Emotional and telling, she accurately portrays fifth graders as they attempt to come to terms with issues at school, in families and for their future.
The title is grand, the action engaging, and the story sure to find favor with many readers.
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