Emily Was SO Embarrassed - (Tales from the Craft Box) by Michelle Olson (Hardcover)

About the Book

Can Emily overcome her stage fright to help her best-button Becky? Find out in this hilarious and heartwarming tale of twirls, tumbles, and true friendship!

Book Synopsis

Emily has a big secret... and she's tied in knots about it!

Emily LOVES dancing with her ribbon-it's her favorite thing in the whole world! But she's SO afraid of messing up that she's never danced in front of anyone. Not even her best friend, Becky. So when Becky asks Emily to join the school talent show, panic sets in. Will Emily let embarrassment hold her back-or will she step into the spotlight to help a friend?

With laugh-out-loud moments and a sweet message about courage and friendship, Emily Was SO Embarrassed is a relatable read-aloud for any child who's ever felt nervous about trying something new.

Bonus fun: The illustrations are packed with intriguing details-perfect for kids who love search-and-find books!

"Colorful and creative-a crafty way to impart life lessons." -Kirkus Reviews

"Inspiring story of a button learning to overcome embarrassment." -Booklife

Review Quotes

In Olson's picture book, a button who loves dancing must conquer her stage fright.

Emily, an anthropomorphized button the color and texture of a strawberry, is happy dancing and twirling her blue ribbon in

the privacy of her craft-box bedroom. Her friend Becky, a yellow button, enters them both in a talent show, but Emily

doesn't want to dance in public-she's very anxious about making a mistake ("I might mess up"). But she agrees, for

Becky's sake. They practice hard, and once they're on stage together, Emily is able to perform...until she trips on her

ribbon and falls down. Luckily, Becky keeps singing. Emily picks herself up and restarts her routine. After the show, her

button friends all congratulate her and ask her to teach them dancing. Olson tells Emily's story through simple prose and

exquisitely staged photographs depicting actual google-eyed buttons with wire legs and arms. The scenes are ingenious in

their composition, incorporating motion shots (note especially Emily's ribbon dances, and the juggling tableau on Page

14), setting-appropriate repurposings (such as pencils for bench seats), a mixture of artfully focused close-up and

establishing shots, and copious background details to contextualize the button protagonists. Emily is a relatable character

and her trepidation will resonate with many a budding young performer. That she actually does mess up is an astute plot

development, teaching kids to embrace the doing and sharing of what they love-not to overvalue being perfect at it.

Colorful and creative-a crafty way to impart life lessons.

-Kirkus Reviews

Olson's one-of-a-kind picture book for young children introduces an anthropomorphic button named Emily who learns to overcome embarrassment, work to achieve what she loves and follow her heart. Like many kids, Emily loves to dance, twirling with a long blue ribbon flowing gracefully behind her-but she only enjoys this expressive hobby in the privacy of her bedroom, where no one can see if she makes a mistake. That changes when her best friend Becky asks her to perform alongside her in the talent show, making Emily anxious. "I don't think I can dance with so many buttons watching," she laments. "I might mess up."

With Becky's encouragement-and a lot of practice-Emily builds the confidence to perform, and on the day of the show, everything is going well until she trips on her ribbon and falls. Anyone who has felt the hot sting of humiliation will relate to Emily's blunder and admire her for having the courage to get up and finish her dance. Kids will be encouraged by the uplifting reactions of Emily's friends when she steps off stage, as it turns out, no one cared about her mistake. This will help kids see that they don't have to be perfect to pursue their passions.

What makes this book stand out is the unique illustrations, which utilize real-life craft supplies to bring Emily's world to life, a welcome tactile touch. A shiny pink button with wide, expressive eyes and twisty metal arms, Emily dances in a room lined with puffy paint bottles, crayon boxes, and spools of thread, and her bed is a tiny pink box with a fluffy cotton ball for a pillow. The talent show is held in a drawer that also contains thumbtacks, pencils, and a flashlight, and the stage is a stack of notecards. This unexpected setting will delight young readers, who will cheer for and learn from Emily.

Takeaway: Inspiring story of a button learning to overcome embarrassment.

Comparable Titles: Elizabeth Estrada's I Choose to Try Again, Angela DiTerlizzi's The Magical Yet.

Production grades

Cover: A-

Design and typography: B+

Illustrations: A-

Editing: A

Marketing copy: A-

-BookLife