The Talent Show

George the Bunny Series

by Annie Belridge

Can George find the courage to step into the spotlight?

George is perfectly happy doing what he does best: napping, snacking, and staying out of the way. But when Mom signs them up for a pet talent show to help the local animal shelter, George finds himself learning tricks… and facing something scarier than anything he’s ever faced before.

Then he meets Stella, a three-legged rescue dog who has performed in front of crowds before. And her story inspires him to help the shelter even in his own little way.

With Mom’s help and Stella’s encouragement, George trains hard and learns his tricks. But when he sees how good the other performers are, he starts to wonder: Is doing his best really going to be enough?

Can George find it in himself to step on stage anyway?

The Talent Show is a heartwarming chapter book about finding courage, the difference between competing and contributing, and what it really means to show up for others. Perfect for readers ages 7–9

5 out of 5 fairies

This is such a sweet, adorable beginner chapter book for young readers. I love the difference between George’s reserved, nervous self, and Mom’s peppy but gentle character. Belridge did a great job showing things from George’s point of view. You can sense his anxiety and how much he wants to make Mom happy, but how nervous he is, not just from his thoughts, but from how he acts. The chapters are short, and the sentences are easy to read, perfect for readers venturing from traditional picture books into longer-format stories. This would be easy for a parent/guardian/teacher to read along with the child or allow the child to read and explore George’s world on their own. I really did fall in love with him, and I’m looking forward to reading the other stories that are already published. This would be perfect for animal/bunny lovers and especially kids who struggle with anxiety. (I would’ve loved this book back when I started reading chapter books)!

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Annie Belridge writes chapter books about heartwarming adventures with meaningful life lessons. The George the Bunny series is based on her real-life bunny, George, who serves as her chief writing consultant (though she’s still not entirely sure what his job entails).

When she’s not writing, Annie works in publishing. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with George when he’s not busy taking very important naps or snacking.