Something Wild

This heartwarming picture book explores the universal experience of performance anxiety through Hannah, a young girl who loves playing her violin privately but dreads her upcoming recital. To cope with her jitters, Hannah's vivid imagination conjures up hilarious and fantastical "what if" scenarios, from a dolphin carrying her away to a giant rabbit absconding with her instrument. The story beautifully normalizes these feelings of fear and worry, ultimately showing Hannah finding her inner strength and discovering that the most amazing "wild" thing is her own courage on stage. It's a relatable tale for any child facing a daunting new experience.

Performance jitters lead to some imaginative what ifs before a little girl finds her confidence. Hannah loves to play her violin—as long as no one is watching. On the day of the recital, she’s wishing something wild would happen so she won’t have to go. Perhaps a dolphin will jump out of the fountain and carry her away, or a giant rabbit will abscond with her violin. Hannah’s big imagination dreams up all kinds of entertaining scenarios that could change the course of her day, but what actually happens is the most amazing of all! Children and grown-ups alike will relate to Hannah’s stage fright and get a laugh out of all her wishful thinking. Most importantly, they will be right there beside her on recital day when something wild—and beautiful—happens.