THE ONE AND ONLY DYLAN ST. CLAIRE

The stars shine brightly for a boy who knows he is destined to twinkle and sparkle.

Dylan is one exuberant boy who is certain of his destiny: He will be “The Star” (literally) in the starring role of his school play about the solar system. He is well-trained in dance, song, and mime (with nods to Gypsy and Reba McIntyre) and quite comfortable with his talent. Alas, his teacher is assigning the roles, and Dylan is to play the role of the “SQUIRREL?!” Utter despair ensues even as the other students rejoice in their parts as objects in outer space. But then Dylan runs into the kid playing the role of Saturn, who is clearly unhappy with having to perform at all but convinces Dylan that the role of the squirrel is “the best part of the show!” After all, how many squirrels have ventured into space? Dylan interviews the local squirrels and is determined, thereafter, to be the “first squirrel-stronaut” ever. Yes, it is finally stardom. Edwards’ little tale of a stage-struck boy may resonate with other wannabe performers and should entertain even those who prefer sitting in the audience. Ebbeler’s bright and colorful illustrations fill the pages with action, their slight exaggerations appropriately histrionic, while leaving room for large speech bubbles for the characters’ dialogue. Dylan presents white, and his classmates are a diverse mix.

School-age dreams of acting can come true.