The Shai and Emmie series will be a great new young reader series. The text was engaging and easy to read. The characters were relatable and fun to watch go through life situations. In Dancy Pants the friends have the opportunity to compete in a dance show challenge. One girl wants it to be perfect and creates a very controlled plan of when to do what and how it will look and so on. The other two friends aren't quite as gung-ho about it and just want to have fun. Through various trials and challenges, the trio figures out how to have fun and do well at the competition.
I think that young readers will attach to the characters and really enjoy this new series.

Charming and sweet with a few important lessons for young readers. Definitely a series to recommend to children looking for contemporary chapter-book series.

Quvenzhané Wallis is 14 years old and she's an Oscar-nominated actress and best-selling author. What a superstar!
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Shai's dance teacher decides to enter her students in a local dance competition. The students will dance in groups, and Shai, her best friend Emmie, and their friend Rio are going to tap dance to "Singin' in the Rain." She makes a secret bet with her frenemy Gabby that her group, the Dancy Pants Trio, will win a medal at the competition.

Because of the bet, Shai becomes a harsh rehearsal leader, and her friends aren't having fun, which is the whole reason they're entering the competition in the first place.
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Meanwhile, Shai is sure that her grandma and aunt have a huge secret, and it becomes a mystery for her to solve.
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Shai's part of a big family; she's the second of four children, and each has a distinct and recognizable personality. There's the aloof older brother who's in middle school, so practically an adult, according to Shai, who's eight. She's got an energetic little sister and a sweet baby brother, both of whom she loves but occasionally find annoying (this is familiar territory to anyone with siblings). Her grandma and aunt live nearby and spend a lot of time at Shai's family's house. It's clear that they're a close and loving family. There's a lot in the way they interact that reminded me of my own family dynamic, both she I was a kid and now.
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The story is simple but realistic in its voice and in Shai's perception of her world. While Wallis is clearly the storyteller, you can tell when Ohlin has stepped in to finesse the language and plot.
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I found the story sweet, refreshing, and funny. This is the second in a series, and I believe there are more expected. I'd definitely recommend this to young readers.

I received this book as a digital arc from netgalley.

The book is cute, inclusive, playful and the illustrations are adorable. This is a good read for younger middle readers, although it seems to be written in a very mature way for such a young author.