Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace
By Mary Hoffman
Grades 3-5
REALISTIC FICTION

This book has a great underlying message that you can be anything you want to be. In this book it is a story about a young girl Grace who loved stories. She loves books or movies and would love to act them out. One day in class the teacher told her class that they were going to do the play Peter Pan. Grace knew she wanted to be Peter Pan but when she raised her hand a boy in the class Raj told her that she couldn't be Peter Pan because that was a boy's name. Grace still continued to have her hand up. Then another student named Natalie whispered to Grace and said you can't be Peter Pan because he isn't black. Grace got very upset and went home and told her family what happened. Her family was very upset with what occurred to Grace. They reassured her that she could be anything she wanted to be if she put her mind to it. One day Grace was out with Nana and they went to the grand theatre and Nana showed Grace a picture of who was starring in Romeo and Juliet and it was a girl from Trinidad. The girl playing the part was not of the typical race of Juliet. They got tickets for the show and went. After the ballet Grace played the part of Juliet. She realized she could be anything she wanted to be. At the end of it all Grace got to play the part of Peter Pan. This book is great because this shows students that they can do anything that they put their minds to and nothing can hold them back like gender or race. This book has a wonderful message behind it!