Book In Review

      The Talent Show was written by Dan Gutman who just happens to also be the author of  the children’s book, The Homework Machine.  He writes children’s books with a wonderful gift of knowing what makes a kid tick.  The Talent Show is all about kids coming together to save their town, Cape Bluff, Kansas after it is destroyed by a tornado.

      I like how he lays out the story of what each child is doing when the tornado hits.  Then he delves into the chaotic world of the adults who are stumped on how to overcome the despair that comes with the responsibility of rebuilding a town which has seen disaster more than once.  As the adults are brainstorming ideas on how to go about financing the rebirth of their town and their personal lives…one adult has a crazy idea. 

       That idea just happens to be putting together a talent show.  When that crazy idea is compared to the other crazy idea…well, let’s just say that the crazy idea of a tallent show…suddenly becomes very popular.  Not only that, but kids become empowered and energized and so do the adults.  Everyone pitches in to make it a success.  Each child discovers things about themselves and their friends that they never knew.

        Of course, as the town gets behind the talent show and it’s efforts to raise money for the school library, that’s lost all of it’s books in the tornado, trouble brews behind the scenes.  Characters and personal integrity are revealed and friendships are strengthened and lost in the process.  What I like about Dan’s book is that if one pays attention; lessons on positive personal development can be put to good use.  Discovering our own strengths and weaknesses and learning how to encourage positive self- growth and diminish the negative qualities we possess, can be very enlightening. 

        If you want to learn more about the writer Dan Gutman or his books check out his website here:  http://www.dangutman.com .   This book, The Talent Show was published in 2010 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.   I would say that this book is ideal for kids 7-12 years old.