When No One is Watching

When no one is watching, it's easy to be brave -- to dance and sing, growl and cheer. But when everyone's watching, this book's shy young narrator finds it far easier to hide. With her best friend, Loretta, though, she doesn't feel shy, embarrassed, awkward, or odd -- not one bit. Together they're like two peas in a pod, whether anyone's watching or not.

Any readers who have felt shy will certainly recognize themselves within the pages of this adorable book, which will encourage even the most timid of audiences with its celebration of the value of a good friend.

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Eileen Spinelli made her debut in 1991 with Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch (Simon & Schuster), which won a Christopher Award. Since then she has written more than forty children's books, including When No One Is Watching, Jonah's Whale, and Do You Have a Dog? (all Eerdmans). She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and fellow children's writer Jerry Spinelli. Visit her website at eileenspinelli.com.

David Johnson is an accomplished editorial artist whose works have appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's Magazine, and The Atlantic Monthly. He has illustrated several children's books, including Call Me Marianne (Eerdmans), Snow Sounds (Houghton Mifflin), and Abraham Lincoln (Scholastic). David lives in Connecticut.