Wibble wobble boom!

It is hard not to be charmed by this simple tale of a novice ice-skater's first lesson. Claire is a young Black girl, full of big skating dreams and excitement to finally glide onto the ice. However, her initial confidence soon gives way to disappointment at her brown rental skates and unglamorous group name, the Snowplows. Then come frustrating exercises like learning to stand in skates before getting on the ice. When Claire finally makes it onto the ice, she goes wibble, wobble, and finally boom, falling right away. The skating coach continues to encourage the beginners, but they fall--wibble, wobble, boom!--again and again. "This isn't skating," thinks Claire. As her frustrations mount, she declares, "Skating is hard, not fun!" In the end, Claire's persistence and powers of observation, along with support from her coach and the other Snowplows, lead her to make a discovery that changes how she moves on the ice and restores her self-confidence (despite still sometimes going wibble, wobble, boom!). The illustrations are just as charming as the text. Sterling captures both Claire's emotions and the movement of the skaters in her cheerful artwork. Many readers will identify with Claire's challenges, and all will cheer for her success. A must for beginning ice-skaters, and perfect for nervous newbies at just about anything.

A young Black girl eager to attend her first ice-skating lesson imagines how she will "Jump. Leap. Twirl." At the skating rink, Claire's enthusiasm becomes disappointment when her introduction to the sport is different than her expectations. She hates the ugly brown rental skates, wanting pretty white ones of her own. She does not appreciate being placed among the Snowplows (the beginners group); she'd rather be called a skater. And she doesn't see the point of the initial exercises off the ice. "This isn't skating. I want to skate!" Finally on the ice, skating is harder than anticipated and…"Wibble, Wobble…BOOM!" Claire falls on her bottom. But the light-skinned coach, Miss Nicole, tells everyone that Claire did a good job falling the right way. Getting up correctly is also a technique, but as the lesson progresses, Claire is still discouraged: "Skating is hard, not fun!" Then she takes notice of how Miss Nicole moves her feet: "Push, glide, slide." One more try, a few wobbles, and Claire understands and skates toward the railing. Her hard work has paid off, and she feels proud to be a Snowplow. The delicate pencil, acrylic, and digital illustrations reflect a diverse group of children lending support and encouragement to an impatient yet determined newcomer; little ones facing their own challenges will be buoyed. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Realistically portrays the ups and downs of learning a new skill with satisfying success. (Picture book. 5-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.