Stanley's Secret

by John Sullivan, Zach Manbeck (Illustrator)

Overview

The award-winning author of Kitten and the Night Watchman is back with an inspiring and poignant picture book about a boy learning the self-confidence to fulfill his dream of dancing in front of his peers.

The only audience shy, quiet Stanley dances in front of is his pet mice, Squeaker and Nibbles. He also practices when he’s alone in empty classrooms or the gym when he helps the janitor after school, tap dancing shuffle, tippy-tap, tippy-tap. “Talent should be shared,” encourages Principal Reynolds. Can Stanley find the courage to perform in the school talent show?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534487833
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Publication date:	01/24/2023
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 11.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

John Sullivan received the Ezra Jack Keats Award and Margaret Wise Brown Prize for his debut picture book Kitten and the Night Watchman, also named a best book of the year by The Boston Globe, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and BookPage. He is also the author of Ethan and the Strays, Stanley’s Secret, and Can I Keep It, Please?. John is a cat lover and tap dancer who formerly worked as a night watchman. He lives in Chicago. Visit John at JohnSullivanKidBooks.com.

Zach Manbeck is an author and illustrator living in Pennsylvania. As an artist, his work is described as modern vintage—nostalgic, yet fresh. As a creator, Zach aims to tell stories from new perspectives: stories that advocate for characters that haven’t yet had a chance to live in books. Learn more at ZachManbeck.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ 10/31/2022

“Stanley was a quiet boy. When he attended birthday parties, he hid in the corner and read. When he gave a book report, he spoke softly.” Quiet or not, Stanley dreams of tap-dancing on a big stage. But he doesn’t tell anyone except his pet mice, Squeaker and Nibbles, and he dances only after hours in his school’s empty rooms, while helping the janitor. Prose by Sullivan (Kitten and the Night Watchman) quickly establishes Stanley’s private way (“At lunch, Stanley quietly ate his sandwich with mayonnaise, even though he’d said, ‘no toppings, please’ ”), while juxtaposing artwork by Manbeck (You Are Here) sizzles with energetically charged lines and chalky, saturated shades, portraying Stanley in vibrant orange hues. In a satisfying twist, a visit to the principal’s office results in support, and a suggestion to sign up for the talent show: “Talent should be shared,” the principal says. The text pays careful attention to the way Stanley addresses his nervousness (“With the talent show quickly approaching, Stanley mustered the courage to dance for a classmate”) as he moves into his dream with grace. Ages 4–8. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

2022-10-26
Doing what you love can bring good things.

Intensely shy and quiet, Stanley, a round-faced Black child, buries himself in a book at parties, speaks softly, and sits alone while his classmates play at recess. Stanley desires nothing more than to tap-dance on stage for an audience, but he tells only his two pet mice, Squeaker and Nibbles. When he helps the janitor clean the building after school, he changes into his tap shoes and dances around with the broom when he thinks no one is watching. Principal Reynolds, a Black woman, summons him to her office and tells him she has seen him dancing and is shocked. Stunned that he has been spotted, Stanley apologizes. “Sorry?” she says. “You’re terrific!” She insists that he enter the upcoming school talent show. Over the next two weeks, he dances for his mice, the birds outside, and feral cats, attempting to conquer his shyness. He also plucks up the nerve to dance on the playground for Tom, a new, light-skinned friend, who encourages him heartily. Manbeck’s blues, greens, and oranges give the illustrations a retro appearance, and the scribbly textures convey a sense of whimsy throughout. Blues that represent Stanley’s quiet, shy nature turn to bright yellows as he overcomes his fear, speaks more boldly, and embraces his love of dance. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A vibrant story that encourages readers to follow their passions—and share them with the world. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews