Alaina and the Great Play
by Eloise Greenfield, Illustrated by Colin Bootman

With the guileless wonder and innocence of a little girl, Alaina is profoundly changed by the performance. As she falls in love with the art of live theater, her enthusiasm lands her center stage. “But when I opened my mouth, the right words didn’t come out. I was too excited to say that little speech. It wasn’t good enough for that great play, so…”

Praise For Alaina And The Great Play…
“From cover to cover, this book will steal your heart. With Alaina and the Great Play, beloved author Eloise Greenfield successfully captures the joy of a Black child and the strength and support of her family as they prepare for a special performance. The emotions of the story are brought to life by the gifted Colin Bootman, whose textured paintings exude the qualities of Black Girl magic.” —Don Tate is an award-winning illustrator

“The story went directly to the heart and life of a child … the illustrations were exciting companions to the text.”—Ashley Bryan, Author of Freedom Over Me, winner of a Newbury Honor and 19 other awards

“Eloise Greenfield is a master storyteller. She and Colin worked their magic. His illustrations made me feel like I was part of Alaina’s world.” — Kelly Starling Lyons, author and founding member of The Brown Bookshelf