Stacey Speaks Up

August 1, 2024
Voting rights activist and former gubernatorial candidate Abrams' latest picture book sees her younger self taking a stand against injustice. The delight of "TacoPizza Fryday"--a special lunch that the whole school voted on--turns sour for elementary schooler Stacey when she notices that some students are excluded because they can't pay. Sympathetic school librarian Mr. McCormick explains that the "complicated" rules about who qualifies for free lunches leave some children out; he gently suggests that she and her friends address the school board rather than starting with a demonstration. Initially reluctant to speak in public, Stacey decides to lead a petition drive instead. She eventually nerves herself to stand up at the meeting to plead for a policy change, and when the board puts her off, she joins her friends in gently pressuring her principal every Friday with a list of kids who were left out that week. Thomas fills the illustrations with exaggeratedly wide eyes and open mouths; the crowds of diverse cheering, sign-waving students present rousing images of collective action and, at the end, collective triumph. "Imagine what else all their voices could change...together," the author concludes pointedly, cogently adding in her closing note that sometimes "you feel like you're fighting only for yourself, until you look around and realize that others are simply waiting for someone to go first." Though the story is fictional, backmatter references real-life examples of Abrams learning to "speak up and take action." A blueprint for effective social action: simple, savvy, and tried and often true. (child hunger resources)(Picture book. 7-9)

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August 16, 2024

K-Gr 3-The latest in the award-winning "Stacey's Stories" series is a moving and educational picture book that both reminds readers to care about those around them and inspires them to change the world. Luckily for Stacey and her friends at the elementary school, it is the most awesome day of the week, TacoPizza Fryday. The fun is dampened as Stacey realizes that there are those around her who are not getting to enjoy the food at lunch. Stacey and her friends go to the one person in the school they trust for advice, the librarian. His advice sets the kids on a mission to change their school and help all students eat at school. Children who read the first two books will enjoy the third one just as much, with Stacey's personality shining through. Her diverse cast of friends is beautifully portrayed in digital artwork; the illustrations resonate with the tone of the story, ranging from bright and rainbow-colored to darker and stark, depending on what Stacey is facing. Kids young and old will identify with both sides of Stacey's perspective: the fear of public speaking and believing everyone should be treated the same. VERDICT A fun book with beautiful illustrations that kids will enjoy reading; could prompt some great classroom discussions with little kids.-Richard Winters

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