Katherine Tegen Books | 978-0063056282
At night, Nigel is many things. An astronaut. A dancer. A superhero. His dreams shine brighter than the moon and stars.
“But even with dreams so bright,
he isn’t ready for the world to see.”
CLICK TO ENLARGE © illustration by Gracey Zhang
It’s career week at school, and Nigel and his classmates browse the library books, choosing their favorite jobs, “… but a dancer like him cannot be found.”
When the teacher asks what the kids want to be when they grow up, “Nigel shrinks in his chair… He can’t bring himself to whisper the word: superhero.”
Each night, when the moon appears, Nigel shares his dreams and wonders if his wishes are too much.
“What if I wish to be too many things?”
CLICK TO ENLARGE © illustration by Gracey Zhang
When the teacher asks about the kids’ parents’ careers, Nigel asks to be excused. His parents don’t have fancy jobs. He worries that the class will laugh. He’s not ready to share his truth with the world.
On the final day of career week, guests arrive to talk about their work. When two special guests — his parents — join the others to share their stories, Nigel’s heart swells with pride. He finds courage and his voice.
This stunning debut by Antwan Eady, with luminous illustrations in ink, gouache, and watercolor by Gracey Zhang speaks to every reader. Its super power is its ability to gently tackle large themes of race, socio-economic status, and gender expectations.
This is a book for every child – even, and most especially – for the quiet dreamer waiting for the moon and the world to remind him or her to unabashedly dream big.
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