Series: Tales from the Craft Box #2
Published by Bellie Button Books on April 6, 2025
Genres: Children's
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
Emily has a big secret. She can dance, twirl, jump, and do all sorts of tricks with her ribbon. Just not in front of others… never in front of others. She might mess up, and everyone could laugh at her. It is best to dance alone in her room, where she is safe from embarrassment. But when her best friend Becky asks her to join the talent show, Emily panics. She doesn’t want to disappoint her friend, but is Emily ready to show off her talent and risk embarrassment?
This picture book has delightful photographic illustrations. The author and illustrator, Michelle Olson, has built an entire world around her button main characters, and the found-object illustrations are full of interesting details that will appeal to all ages. Within this setting of repurposed craft and office supplies, Olson tells a powerful story about embracing a growth mindset and learning to accept mistakes.
In this story, Emily is a talented ribbon dancer, but she doesn’t want to perform in front of other people, since she is afraid of making mistakes in front of an audience. Then her best friend, Becky, begs her to perform with her in the talent show. Emily feels torn between her fear of embarrassment and her desire to support her friend, and she agrees to perform in the show. During her performance, her fear comes true, and she does make a mistake in her routine. However, she eventually realizes that people still enjoyed her performance, and that everything is okay after all.
I enjoyed this relatable story, and the illustrations are amazing. There’s just the right amount of digital editing on the photos, and the characters’ emotions come through clearly in both the images and the story. Olson put a lot of thought into each character’s posture and movements, as well as their facial expressions. One of my favorite pages is the one where Becky is begging Emily to change her mind about being in the show. It’s so funny, and we have all been there, either as Becky or as Emily.
Emily Was SO Embarrassed teaches a great lesson about facing your fears and trying new things. The story also shows that it’s possible to make mistakes and still have fun, and still feel like you belong. This message is clear without being preachy, and the author never states it as a moral, since it is already clear through the story and the illustrations. I appreciate the strong but subtle theme, and I found the ending very satisfying. This is a great book for kids who are dealing with similar worries, and it will appeal to people of all ages who enjoy this unique illustration style.
