a nice retelling of "Back to the Future" from a different perspective. I began to wonder about the names being used when Mahalia Jackson was the protagonist's classmate who could really sing. This was purely intentional which made the book more meaningful. ( )

Eleven-year-old Ailey desperately wants to play the Scarecrow in his school's production of "The Wiz," but he gets such severe stage fright the day of auditions that he despairs of ever getting a call back. If things couldn't get any worse, his grandfather ends up in the hospital, where he tells Ailey about his own past regret when he did not take audition for a famous tap dancer when he had the chance. With a little magic, Ailey is transported back to 1930s Harlem and meets his grandfather as a young boy not much older than he is. Now is Ailey's opportunity to right this past wrong -- and hopefully find his way back home to the present.

I really wanted to like this book, but the beginning just dragged. There were so many details about Ailey's school, classmates, etc. that made the introduction very slow indeed. The messages of "try your best" and "never give up" were also being hammered in a little too hard. Once we got to the past, I found myself really enjoying the book. But I feel that 50+ pages of setup is asking a lot for young readers. The ending was fun to see how things changed, but I realized again quite quickly how little I cared about Ailey's part of the story and whether he would be in the play or not.

The final pages of the book in which the author talks about all the historical people and places that inspired the names in this story was interesting and edifying. It's a great jumping off point to teach young readers about Black history -- and not just for the month of February! ( )

I really liked the time traveling concept of Ailey going back to help his grandfather fix a regret, and I love how noteworthy Black individuals made appearances throughout the story. The list of Blck Excellence at the end was a great addition in identifying these individuals and helping young readers learn why the person was so important. At times, the novel was a little repetitive and wordy, but overall, had a great storyline. At one point, the main character, Ailey, keeps running into problem after problem that I wasn’t sure he’d ever get home!

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.* ( )

Having completed this during the holidays, I would say this book puts me in mind of "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Carol," plus "Back to the Future," in that time travel changes one's outlook on life and self for the better. After Ailey chokes at a school audition for "The Wiz," his ailing Grampa shares his lifelong regret at not accepting an invitation from Bill "Bojangles" Robinson to come tap dance at his theater. He tells Ailey about the pair of Bojangles' shoes hidden in his closet. When Ailey finds them and tries them on, he is transported to 1930s Harlem where he meets Grampa as a kid tapping on the corner of 125th Street and 8th Avenue. Ailey realizes he needs to get Grampa to overcome his fears and dance for Bojangles, no regrets. A lively story that gets the theme across for young readers...carpe diem! ( )

Really sweet story with a little bit of everything: magic, time travel, tap dancing and family love. ( )