Shai & Emmie Star in Break an Egg! (Shai & Emmie #1)

by Quvenzhane Wallis (Author) Sharee Miller (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Series: Shai & Emmie

From Academy Award-nominated actress Quvenzhané Wallis comes the first story in a brand-new series about best friends Shai and Emmie, two third graders destined for superstardom.

Shai Williams was born to be a star (or a veterinarian--and maybe a dentist). She attends a special elementary school for the performing arts, and her grandma Rosa and aunt Mac-N-Cheese are both actresses. So Shai is shocked when she doesn't get the lead role in the third-grade musical.

Instead, the part goes to the new girl, Gabby Supreme, who thinks she is better than everyone else. To add insult to injury, Ms. Gremillion has now asked Shai to help Gabby with the role. Shai reluctantly agrees and enlists Emmie to help, but Gabby isn't going to make it easy. As opening night draws near, Shai discovers that making a new friend is sometimes like putting on a show--it requires dedication, patience, and lots and lots of practice.

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School Library Journal

Gr 1-3—A lighthearted series starter about an aspiring child actress, cowritten by award-winning actress Wallis. Shai is a third grader at a performing arts school in Atlanta, who learns about patience and empathy when new girl Gabby arrives in her class from Hollywood, CA. With her best friend Emmie, Shai helps Gabby fit in and open up, even overcoming her own jealousy when Gabby is cast in a school play role Shai wanted for herself. This is a mild and pleasant tale of relationship ups and downs, with the bonus of a fun musical theater theme. Without becoming preachy, Shai models healthy attitudes and behaviors. The depiction of her loving, African American, middle-class family and diverse group of classmates is welcome. VERDICT A good choice for readers who enjoy character development more than action.—Heidi Rabinowitz, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

Teenage actor Wallis knows of what she writes. She sets her perky first novel (publishing simultaneously with a picture book, A Night Out with Mama) at a performing arts elementary school in Atlanta, where best friends Shai Williams and Emmie Harper are preparing to audition for the third-grade musical. Enter Gabby Supreme, a confident new student from Los Angeles, who has acted in a zombie movie and a toothpaste commercial--and is trying out for the same lead role as Shai. Gabby lands the coveted role, Shai is cast as the character's mother, and she is asked to help Gabby prepare for the performance. Following her grandmother's advice to find the "courage to be nice to folks who aren't always nice to you," Shai rises to the occasion, and the novel and the musical end on upbeat notes. Miller's b&w cartoons help convey the big emotions at play, and the interactions between Shay, her friends, and her African-American family bring warmth and light humor to this series opener. Ages 6-10. Author's agent: Esther Newberg, ICM. Illustrator's agent: Monica Odom, Bradford Literary. (Oct.)

Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

The hopeful ending is refreshingly realistic and hits the right notes. ...Audiences seeking contemporary beginning chapter-book series are sure to find much appeal in Shai and Emmie's world."—Kirkus Reviews "August 15, 2017 "
Quvenzhane Wallis
Quvenzhané Wallis knows a thing or two about creating memorable characters. For her feature film debut, Beasts of the Southern Wild, she was nominated for an Academy Award. Shortly after, she received a Golden Globe nomination for her work as the title character in Annie. She has also appeared in 12 Years a Slave, The Prophet, and Fathers and Daughters. Quvenzhané is a daughter, a sister, a model, a singer, a dancer, an actress, an author, a student, and a pet owner. She has many talents and is always willing to try something new. She lives in Louisiana with her family. She is the author of the Shai and Emmie series and A Night Out with Mama.

Nancy Ohlin is the author of Consent; Always, Forever; and Beauty. She is also the author of the Shai & Emmie series with Quevenzhané Wallis. Born in Tokyo, Japan, Nancy divided her time between there and Ohio. She received a BA in English from the University of Chicago, and she lives in Ithaca, New York, with her family. Learn more at NancyOhlin.com.

Sharee Miller is an illustrator living in Brooklyn. She grew up on the island of St. Thomas before leaving to study at Pratt Institute in New York, where she earned a BFA in illustration. Though she remained in New York, she is still very much inspired by the colors and patterns of St. Thomas. Learn more at ShareeMiller.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781481458825
Lexile Measure
640
Guided Reading Level
O
Publisher
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date
October 03, 2017
Series
Shai & Emmie
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV045000 - Juvenile Fiction | Readers | Chapter Books
JUV031060 - Juvenile Fiction | Performing Arts | Theater
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
African Americans
Schools
Theater
Acting

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