Too Shy for Show and Tell

Too Shy for Show and Tell by Beth Bracken
Illustrated by Jennifer Bell
2011

     Sam was a very quiet little boy who kept to himself at school. "Nobody knew much about him."  He loved trucks, chocolate cake, and dogs, but nobody knew it.  The one thing everybody knew about Sam was that he didn't talk much.  "Sam really didn't like talking in front of people, which is why Sam hated show-and-tell." So when his teacher announced that they would be having one at the end of the week, Sam got scared.  He was so nervous, he felt sick and wanted to stay home. But his mom told him he needes to go school.  Once at school, he tried to get out of it by telling his teacher he'd forgotten to bring something to show.  As he sat on the rug watching his classmates share their items, Sam tried to gather up courage.  And then it's his turn.  He didn't faint or cried, and no one laughed.  Today, everyone in class learned a little bit more about Sam, who's already thinking about his next show-and-tell.
     Too Shy for Show and Tell is a sweet story to share with the pre-k and lower elementary classrooms, as well as with the shy kids at home.  The illustrations by Bell are tender and welcoming (the kids are depicted as zoo animals and Sam is an adorable giraffe wearing a stripped turtle neck).  I got to admit that the book had me at its dedication when it quoted The Smiths: "Shyness is nice, but shyness can stop you" ('from doing all the things in life you'd like to').  So "ask me, ask me, ask me," if I liked it.