Ready for the Spotlight!

This exuberant picture book explores the relatable themes of sibling rivalry, self-confidence, and finding your unique talents. Tessie, who has been taking ballet for a month, feels overshadowed by her big sister Maya, who seems to effortlessly command the stage. When Maya gets the lead in the fall recital, Tessie struggles with jealousy and finding her own place. Through a heartwarming journey, Tessie learns the importance of practice, family support, and embracing her own free-form style, ultimately discovering that sisterhood and individual expression can coexist beautifully. Jaime Kim's vibrant illustrations add warmth and charm to this engaging story for young readers.

An exuberant and relatable picture book about sibling rivalry, ballet, and finding your free-form self. Confidence goes a long way, and so does practice—but the support of a loving family and community matters even more in this winsome tale of dancing your way into your own unique talents. Tessie has taken ballet for a whole month and thinks she has it down. If it weren’t for her big sister, Maya, who seems to own the spotlight, Tessie would dazzle the whole class. But when Maya lands the lead—and the coveted princess crown—in the fall recital, not even freestyle dancing can fully rescue Tessie’s spirits. But maybe they each have something to teach and the spotlight is big enough for two? Jaime Kim’s author-illustrator debut captures the shifting emotions of competition, sisterhood, and joy in movement with warmth, charm, and a delicious candy-bright palette.