"But later that night, he tells the moon
his hopes. And out the window they glide,
far, far away where no one call pull them
down.
"One day, I'll land on the moon."
"Dance ballet."
"And wear my cape with honor.""
Nigel has hopes and dreams. He happily shares them with the moon, but is not so eager to tell anyone else in his world. It's career week at school. His classmates are finding books about the jobs they would like to pursue. Nigel cannot find a book that shows the Black male dancer he dreams of being. The following day, the children are asked to follow their parents as they do their jobs.
Following his mom from house to house, and one street to the next is endless and lacks the excitement of the future he envisions for himself. His dreams seem so far away. That night, he lets the moon know he will finally tell everyone tomorrow. That makes him feel uneasy. He just can't tell his classmates his other dream ... a superhero. He can only talk to the moon. Is he asking for too much?
When the teacher asks about the jobs their parents have, Nigel worries that his parents don't have fancy jobs like so many others. He tells the moon, but not the world. When his parents surprise him by coming to school to talk about their jobs, Nigel is shy. What happens next makes for a perfect ending to this truly heartwarming debut picture book.
Gracey Zhang uses ink, gouache and watercolor to show Nigel as he trusts the moon to keep his secrets, and finally himself to share them. They will charm readers and have them thinking about Nigel and his dreams for the future, whatever it might be.
Dream big, and be proud of who you are.
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