Review by Booklist Review
Playing violin has always brought Hannah joy, but she has no desire to perform publicly. On school-recital day, she "secretly wished something wild would happen . . . so she wouldn't have to go!" What follows is a series of imaginative flights of fancy--a bird flies away with her concert outfit; a rabbit hops into the kitchen and absconds with her violin; dolphins carry her away on an overflowing fountain--but none of them come true, and Hannah reluctantly arrives at the school. Soon, her recital's underway, and though "her legs wobbled, and her heart pounded," once she starts, "something wild" finally occurs--her joy for playing takes over. Ruttan's whimsical story sympathetically depicts an experience likely familiar for lots of children: overcoming stage fright. Her charming, expressive illustrations, in charcoal, pastels, and watercolor, entertainingly interweave the realistic settings with Hannah's fanciful daydreams, which nicely extend the text. This is sure to strike a chord with kid musicians, and the encouragement of family and rewards of following passions are heartening and reassuring notes to end on.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A young violinist triumphs over stage fright in a vividly illustrated picture book that visualizes imaginative flights. Dreading performing for an audience at her violin recital, pale-skinned Hannah wishes something "wild" would happen "so she wouldn't have to go." Her imagination supplies outrageous scenarios--birds whisk away her performance togs, a rabbit steals her violin, a dolphin carries her off--but Hannah nevertheless soon finds herself onstage, where "her stomach clenched,/ her legs wobbled,/ and her heart pounded." But when she starts to play for the diverse audience, she has the most "wonderfully" wild experience of all as natural images grow up around her, rooting her right where she is. Balls of golden light and speckles of white stardust add ethereal vibes to Ruttan's movement-filled mixed-media illustrations, while visceral text that employs a participatory refrain focuses the story on the emotional roller coaster of live performance. Ages 3--7. (Feb.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Hannah loves playing the violin, but she dreads performing in an upcoming recital. Mixed-media illustrations (charcoal, acrylic paint, pastel, and digital media) deftly swing between the girl's reality and her fantasies as the time of the recital looms closer. "She secretly wished something wild would happen," and after the page-turn, a bird outside her window (highlighted with a visual spotlight) becomes an entire flock whisking her recital outfit out the door "so she wouldn't have to go." The next page reveals the truth and a narrative refrain: "But nothing wild happened." The rabbits she conjures up from under the kitchen floor do not run away with her violin, nor do the outdoor fountain dolphins carry her away on their backs. Pastel shades become vivid swirling colors in Hannah's imagination but always dull again to recall her real-life plight. Soon she finds herself heading onstage, where art and text work together to manifest her nervousness, and the spotlight that has signaled magic throughout the story now centers on her. When Hannah starts to play, the art turns bold and fantastical again as she loses her self-consciousness in the joy of playing her violin. Small visual details throughout, including Hannah's lively siblings and her father's quick stop to buy flowers, make the book especially warm. It closes with a family celebration; however, some of the swirling lines and bold color remain, leaving Hannah and readers awash in the heady glow of a memorable and inspiring performance. (c) Copyright 2023. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Hannah imagines outlandish scenarios to prevent her from performing in a recital. The first page shows a small child inside a violin shop, with a bespectacled adult gently guiding her posture as she holds a violin. Readers next see Hannah at home with her violin when she is a few years older, the simple text clarifying that she loves to play the violin--but only when alone. On recital day, "she secretly wishe[s] something wild would happen…so she wouldn't have to go!" Realistic portrayals of Hannah and her family are cleverly interwoven with beautiful, fantastical artwork each time Hannah hopes for "something wild" to occur. Her first fantasy shows bright blue birds flying away with her concert clothing; next, she is seen wearing her concert clothing as her family gapes while russet rabbits abscond with her violin. These lively juxtapositions continue as the family walks together--Hannah holding her violin--to the school hosting the event. A few simple words describe Hannah's feelings of anxiety, both at home and backstage. The denouement is a lovely testament to the best magic of which we are capable. The simply drawn, expressive, light-skinned characters are reminiscent of those in Barbara Samuels' Faye and Dolores series. The familial closeness continues throughout the book, which combines sweetness, imagination, and gentle humor. Though this tale will appeal to all readers, it will especially resonate with introverts. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Brava! (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
