Henry's Show and Tell by Nancy Carlson

32 p., Viking, 2004.

Shyness can make some parts of life really difficult. Little mouse Henry loves everything about kindergarten except for Show and Tell. He feels too scared and shaky to speak in front of his class. His sympathetic teacher suggests that he bring something that he enjoys talking about and practice his presentation in front of a mirror. Henry takes her advice and brings his pet lizard, Wallace. But just as he's about to talk, Wallace escapes. By the time he catches Wallace, Henry forgets to be shy, and easily tells his class all about lizards. When it's time for Show and Tell again, Henry is silent. He explains that he has nothing to talk about because his pet spider has escaped. As his teacher calls recess, the story ends. With its bright, child-friendly illustrations, this empathic story shows children that they're not alone in their shyness, and that it's possible to overcome it even when - and possible because of - unexpected events.

Ages 4-7