Review by Kirkus Book Review
In Delauney's picture book, two siblings are excited to take their first gymnastics class. When Akash and Mila arrive at the studio, they're thrilled to see their friend Dash already in class. Akash is raring to try something new while Mila is more reticent. The coach emphasizes that gymnasts must learn to land on both of their feet at once, and Akash volunteers to try; he falls to the floor and is embarrassed, so Mila skips her turn. The pair explain to Dash that they're afraid that other students will laugh if they don't succeed immediately. Dash says that he once felt the same way, but he realized that the other kids are friendly and root for one another. An older student named Lulu helps Dash escort Akash and Mila back to the gymnastics floor to try again. Reinvigorated, both kids perform a successful landing jump and finish the class happily with the other students. Delauney's text is written in rhyming couplets with at least one paragraph on each spread; readers will find the story's inclusion of a peer to help the kids feel comfortable in class to be a lovely touch. Civati's full-color cartoon illustrations are realistic and appealing throughout, clearly conveying movement and depicting teachers and students with a range of skin tones. A pleasant kids' story about making mistakes and facing fears. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
