Etta Extraordinaire

October 15, 2023
A young girl must overcome stage fright. The first thing you must know about Etta Extraordinaire is that she is nothing less than fab-tacular, complete with a feather boa and pearls from her late Grandma Bess. "She can pluck a poem out of thin air, make a megaphone from old magazines, and can always find a lucky penny." When the young Black girl finds a note for the school's talent show, her visions of grandeur go into overdrive--until she remembers, with butterflies in her tummy, that she's never performed onstage before. Etta puts in motion a four-step plan to make the ordinary extraordinary. Scrounging up supplies from around her home, Etta creates a makeshift stage, practices, finds a costume, and puts on a show in her own room. But belting out tunes onstage in front of people is a different story. When the big moment arrives, our on-the-fly diva has no plan for a case of the jitters. Just as she's shaking in her lucky pearls, she takes a deep breath, opens her eyes, and suddenly gets a much-needed boost from the ones who love and support her. The digital illustrations are sprightly and vivid, filling each page with details to entertain the eyes, while the story will speak to anyone who's ever been wracked by performance anxiety. For the little divas who need a little nudge to perform as big as their dreams. (Picture book. 4-8)

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December 1, 2023

K-Gr 3-At first look, Etta Extraordinaire feels like a retread of well-worn precocious girl territory, following in the steps of Fancy Nancy or Eloise. Like those, this is full of imagination and clutter. Rich cityscapes accompany protagonist Etta as she adds color and jewelry to her life. The tale throws a curve ball by introducing something new to the narrative: fear. Yes, Etta is bold and confident, but she's also-scared. The talent contest at school entices her, but Ahmed allows readers to see that Etta is nervous about it. It's an appealing gray area in a medium that often tends towards black and white. The book continues onward to offer an exceptional four-step road map for any kid: prepare, practice, look the part, and perform. It's a simple formula, and something children can easily emulate for success. Add that lesson to other Easter eggs-a cat named after Eartha Kitt, or a nod to widely unknown blues singer Etta Moten-and Etta Extraordinaire is a new shade in the rainbow of vivacious determined heroines. VERDICT Overall a revisiting of classic flamboyant femmes but with enough interesting details to add freshness. Good for early elementary students.-Cat McCarrey

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