Okay, this is mean because in principle this is a nice book, but Maggie looks so ready to not be given a chance and crumple in tears and then have all the other kids make fun of her that I can't help but think of the cat-wolf thing that comes in in this video at 1:17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWZ41VbAvDU ( )

On her first day at her new school, Maggie volunteers to read aloud -- because she's good at reading. But standing in front of the class, she becomes paralyzed and unable to read a single word. Her mortification is described verbally and visually -- she wanted the floor to swallow her up, a rocket to blast her to Mars, a genie to make the class disappear, etc. Instead another girl Kimberly reads aloud -- and makes a point of telling Maggie that reading is SO easy, etc. Stuttering Sam speaks up to console Maggie, telling her not to let Kimberly bother her. But she does bother Maggie -- and the next day is no better, though Sam continues to encourage her. Until one day when Kimberly starts to make fun of Sam for stuttering, Maggie leaps to his rescue. Speaking up for him banishes her own fears -- and suddenly she can read to the class, successfully.