Brought to you by American Girl, the books in the Hopscotch Hill School series tell the stories of the children in Miss Spark's class. In this particular book, "The One and Only Delaney" by Valerie Tripp, Delaney has trouble figuring out what do for the show her class is putting on about sea creatures. She tries working with other groups of students but soon grows sad when she begins comparing herself to the others and feeling like she is coming up short. She is not as good a reader as her friends Skylar and Avery, and she is not as good at drawing as Lindy and Hallie are. But her teacher is quick to remind Delaney that she is the best at being herself. Miss Sparks also points out that Delaney has a talent for music and could maybe do something for the show involving her favorite song.

Tripp's book sends an important message about individuality and self-confidence to children just becoming aware of themselves in relation to their peers. They may compare themselves to other and feel inadequate as result, just like Delaney does in the story. However, these children should keep in mind that they are unique and have special talents that they can share with others; these talents need only to be discovered and cultivated.

The book is written at a level appropriate for children just beginning to read independently, with just enough illustrations to keep things interesting. There is also a "Dear Parents..." section at the end that gives parents tips for encouraging self-esteem in their children. ( )

Delaney wants to do something great for the class’s presentation, but every time she joins a group she discovers the other members are better at what they’re doing than she is. She discovers that what she’s best at is being her musical self. ( )