Maria and Mateo are eager to start rehearsals for the school play. But it turns out there is much more to putting on a play than beautiful costumes and adoring fans. It takes sharing the spotlight, learning lines, and practicing difficult dance moves–and not all of those tasks are easy or fun. Can the cousins put in the work to make a crowd-pleasing performance?

Theater kids Maria and Mateo are two talented second graders who love the spotlight. But they soon find that theater is not only fun–it can also teach important life lessons. Join these high-spirited cousins as they learn how to improvise through life’s plot twists to shine both onstage and off.

About the Author

Hannah Carmona is the best-selling picture book author of Anita and the Dragons, Dazzling Travis, and Beautiful, Wonderful, Strong Little Me! She started out as a stage actor, with a BA in theater from Western Kentucky University, and went on to direct children’s theater for many years after. Now, when Hannah is not writing, she narrates audiobooks and spends time studying herbal medicine. Hannah lives in Tennessee with her two daughters and dog who thinks he's a cat.