Jack's Talent

When all of his classmates are able to name their special talents during first-day-of-school introductions, Jack's lack of a stand-out specialty makes him feel left out. With Alex good at building sand-castles, Candace good at drawing cats, and so on, a forlorn Jack declares, “I am not good at anything.” His perceived want of a childhood forte is even reflected in his attire: he wears a telling white stripe across his shirt, while his fellow pupils all have motifs on their tops corresponding to their talents, e.g., Victoria—good at dog training—sports a picture of a white pooch on her red blouse. Cocca-Leffler (Clams All Year ) employs her characteristic cartoon-styled characters. With their large, round heads, wide-set eyes and pencil-thin necks and limbs, they set a perky and cheerful tone. The teacher (who's good at gardening and wears flower earrings) winds up saving the day for Jack. After he rattles off all the children's names and talents (“I am not good at spelling like Michael ... I am not good at bug catching like Olivia ”), Miss Lucinda points out that he is good at remembering. Although the tale presents an almost-too-perfect scenario, it does provide a springboard for discussions about the many ways kids can think of themselves as talented. Ages 4-8. (Aug.)