ALBERTINE'S GOT TALENT!

Albertine’s got quite the talented family: Dad gardens, Mom sews and her brother excels at soccer—but Albertine just hangs around. Albertine’s parents decide that their daughter is loafing, so they take her to gym class, swimming class and woodworking class, but none of these turns out to be Albertine’s “thing.” In fact, all the lessons turn out pretty disastrous. But when notoriously grouchy Great-Aunt Sophie comes to visit, Albertine saves the day by putting on a play called Albertine’s Got Talent, dramatizing her failures at somersaulting, swimming and woodworking while simultaneously revealing a considerable flair for acting. Great-Aunt Sophie's stony face "creases" and "cracks" before she caves in to laughter. Albertine serves as a positive role model for children with her good-natured willingness to try various activities and, most of all, her ability to laugh at herself when things don’t go as planned. Valentine’s muted gouache-and-watercolor illustrations depict all of the characters, but especially Albertine, as endearingly awkward. Sure to strike a chord with kids still looking for their "thing." (Picture book. 4-8)