Early Sunday Morning by Denene Millner, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Reviewed by: Brian Wilson
Children
Title: Early Sunday Morning
By: Millner, Denene
Published: 2017
Call #: JPicture Milln.D
This inspirational picture book beautifully addresses something most everyone can relate to: the fear of performing in public. The girl at the center of the story will be singing her very first solo in the Sunday church choir, and to say she has butterflies in her stomach is an understatement. After she overhears two mean kids putting down her voice, she turns to her family and neighbors for advice. Will she be able to rise above and face her fears? Vanessa Brantley-Newton’s warm, vibrant, sometimes humorous illustrations fill each page with radiant joy. I love the expressions on our heroine’s face. Denene Millner’s energetic prose builds the suspense as the time of the girl’s performance draws near. You will find yourself cheering when you reach the stirring ending. This slice of life story is a delight.
