Alaina and the Great Play

April 15, 2021
A day in the life of an aspiring young thespian. Alaina, a little Black girl with long locs and a missing front tooth, awakens to her mother's original Alaina-wake-up song. Immediately excited, she can't wait for the second grade school play, which prompts her to jump up and down on her bed--until a look from Mom says, "stop that right now." Alaina hurriedly prepares for her day. Though only a kindergartner, Alaina will say the last five words of the play, which she practices as her mom walks her to school through their urban neighborhood. After lunch, Miss Wheeler gathers everyone for the performance, and Alaina recites her lines again for the teacher. During the production, Alaina marvels at how realistically the second graders act out the emotions of their college-age characters. When the play ends, Alaina's drab lines seem dull in comparison to the fabulous acting...so she improvises. Greenfield portrays a close and loving relationship between this Black mother and daughter--but one in which Alaina understands her boundaries and tests them but ultimately honors them. Bootman's full-color, double-page illustrations, a bit hazily dreamlike and done with broad swaths of bold, bright colors, immerse readers in this child's home and school life while highlighting Alaina's excited face, mischief, and all-in personality. A delightfully illustrated, one-of-a-kind Greenfield creation that will have readers wishing for another. (Picture book. 4-7)

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May 15, 2021
Grades K-3 Award-winning author Greenfield introduces readers to Alaina, an ebullient kindergartner who discovers her love of live theater. On the day of the second-grade play, Alaina wakes up excited because she gets to make the closing speech, "Thank you for coming. Goodbye." She runs her lines through her head all day, but when her big moment comes, she is so blown away by the performance, she almost forgets what she is supposed to say. After turning a few celebratory summersaults, she delivers her lines and later falls asleep smiling and thinking of the play. Bootman's gorgeous illustrations use vibrant colors and soft brushwork to create realistic scenes of a loving Black family and the exciting bustle of school. Alaina experiences many emotions throughout the day, and Bootman always clearly shows them on her face, making it easy for readers to share in her feelings as the story progresses. A wonderful story to explain what theater is and how it conveys storytelling to an audience.

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