Alaina, a Black kindergartner, is very excited to have a single line to recite after the second-grade play: “Thank you for coming. Goodbye.” All day she thinks about her big moment, reciting the line over and over in her head, practicing with her mom and teacher. Finally, it’s time for the play, which captivates Alaina. She laughs at the funny parts, feels uncomfortable at the student actors’ pretend anger, and feels quiet when the play is sad. Then the actors play a scene in which they are attending a party onstage, and Alaina is so happy. By the time it’s her turn to go onstage to recite her line at the very end of the play, she’s so exuberant that those five words just aren’t enough to encompass the experience they’ve all just had. So she unexpectedly improvises. Opening her arms wide, she asks, “Wasn’t that great? Wasn’t it stupendous? What about those jokes, and the yelling, and the crying, and the dancing, and … ?” After a couple of somersaults, Alaina finally says her assigned line and leaves the stage, where she is hugged and clearly appreciated by her teacher, and then her mom. Alaina’s gregarious personality is shown through her actions and, ultimately, her words, and it’s impossible not to connect with her enthusiasm. The realistic illustrations capture Alaina’s buoyancy, making her the star of this book if not the show. (Ages 4-7)

With the guileless wonder and innocence of a little girl, Alaina is profoundly changed by the performance. As she falls in love with the art of live theater, her enthusiasm lands her center stage. "But when I opened my mouth, the right words didn't come out. I was too excited to say that little speech. It wasn't good enough for that great play, so..."