Shine!

In the married coauthors' collaborative debut, seventh grader Piper believes that only some people are "meant to shine. Others are better off blending in." Her mother, who died when Piper was three, was a talented cellist, and her father is a choir director, but Piper herself "can't carry a tune in a lunch box." After her dad gets a job at posh Chumley Prep--prompting a transfer for Piper, too, to the school where her mother once excelled--the girl becomes the target of class mean girl Ainsley. When an all-school award with deliberately vague criteria ("excel") is announced, Piper is sure she has no shot. When she wins the science fair, though, thanks to her interest in astronomy, her friends think she is a front-runner. They work to find Piper something at which she can shine, but she becomes sure she won't be chosen when outside occurrences (helping a lost kindergartner and a cafeteria worker in need) make her constantly late to class. Whatever the contest's outcome, the girl's realization that she has been shining all along is the true victory. This encouraging story of self-discovery celebrates friendship, kindness, and self-actualization, and readers will relate to the realistic middle school dynamic and well-developed characters. Ages 8-12. (Nov.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 4-6--Seventh-grader Piper is heartbroken when she learns that she has to leave her public school and begin mid-year at Chumley Prep, the local independent school. Her father, a choral teacher who dreams of writing Broadway musicals, has been offered a position at Chumley which comes with full tuition for Piper. Since Piper's mother died when she was three, she and her father have supported each other, and Piper knows how important this opportunity is to him. Just as Piper expects, she initially feels out of place and some of the Chumley students are not very welcoming--especially Ainsley Braden-Hammerschmidt, who tries to sabotage all of Piper's attempts to thrive at her new school. When an award for the student who "most fully demonstrates overall excellence" is announced, some of the students plan strategies to win the anonymous judge's favor. Piper, who shines primarily in science, does not feel confident about winning the award. By the end of the book, Piper has embraced a diverse group of new friends, connected with several teachers, and learned to love her school. VERDICT Piper is likeable and empathetic and the "bad guys," while exaggerated, make this a lighthearted and fast-paced book. The strong message about the power of kindness will be encouraging to readers, and fans of Grabenstein's "Mr. Lemoncello" series will enjoy a different kind of puzzle.--Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"A crowd-pleasing reminder that kindness pays." -Kirkus Reviews

"This encouraging story of self-discovery celebrates friendship, kindness, and self-actualization."—Publishers Weekly

"This gentle book offers a wonderful reminder that kindness, generosity, and love far outweigh the importance of money, awards, and prestige. —Booklist

"A lighthearted and fast-paced book. The strong message about the power of kindness will be encouraging to readers, and fans of Grabenstein's "Mr. Lemoncello" series will enjoy a different kind of puzzle." - School Library Journal,