Buy new:
-12% $15.79
FREE delivery Saturday, May 11 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$15.79 with 12 percent savings
List Price: $17.99

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Saturday, May 11 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, May 10. Order within 6 hrs 46 mins
In Stock
$$15.79 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$15.79
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$9.95
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Ex-library, crisp, and clean pages without any markings. Tight binding and crease-free spine. Overall great condition. Free shipping directly from Amazon Prime with hassle-free returns means your satisfaction will be guaranteed. Ex-library, crisp, and clean pages without any markings. Tight binding and crease-free spine. Overall great condition. Free shipping directly from Amazon Prime with hassle-free returns means your satisfaction will be guaranteed. See less
FREE delivery Saturday, May 11 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 6 hrs 46 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$15.79 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$15.79
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the authors

Mac Barnett
Follow
Kate Berube
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

John's Turn Hardcover – Picture Book, February 24, 2022

by Mac Barnett (Author), Kate Berube (Illustrator)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 37 ratings
Editors' pick Best Books Ages 3-5
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$15.79","priceAmount":15.79,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"79","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"cHl8pbaW9OvUN4zSLgn2zPhb0%2BCZc8mkygP%2Bb9VSkAYc%2BIHhJ0XvBdaA5d5Jd0b7GLnANtKswioppnivdOP5%2B8y6wf0kmwj6xOlQxQRN7HUAY0fOAgEvSmevpLDPBRlu%2FCVKVgWwhyPo15JYvO1%2FUQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$9.95","priceAmount":9.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"cHl8pbaW9OvUN4zSLgn2zPhb0%2BCZc8mkDCpTrGO6Uozs%2FXM0nIKNHH3j3REWLUcBMalRnPEEkHtLtBRTBSF2SyCvYh5UDOeP9YNCzNmjaol%2B89wNtOu9to3H%2FlPi6LOvYRKeFmxjg%2B1fqS8HevbpZDYurdXPWmFwvYo%2BjW%2FtqFPeMRio4fzKwQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

E. B. White Read-Aloud winner Mac Barnett celebrates individuality in a story told with tenderness and subtlety.

It’s John’s big day at school today—a performance for Sharing Gifts time. His bag is carefully packed and prepared, his classmates are ready, and the curtain is waiting to open. John is nervous, looking out at all the other children staring back at him. But he takes a big breath and begins. Mac Barnett’s compassionate text and Kate Berube’s understated and expressive art tell the story of a kid who finds the courage to show others his talent for dancing.
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    4 - 8 years
  2. Print length
    32 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 3
  5. Dimensions
    10 x 0.41 x 11 inches
  6. Publisher
    Candlewick
  7. Publication date
    February 24, 2022
  8. ISBN-10
    1536203955
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1536203950
  10. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

John's Turn
$15.79
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Knight Owl (Caldecott Honor Book) (The Knight Owl Series, 1)
$14.32
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Big (Caldecott Medal Winner & Coretta Scott King Honor Title)
$13.81
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

From the Publisher

confidence; courage; individuality; toxic masculinity; stage fright; anxiety; ballet; music; school
confidence; courage; individuality; toxic masculinity; stage fright; anxiety; ballet; music; school
confidence; courage; individuality; toxic masculinity; stage fright; anxiety; ballet; music; school
confidence; courage; individuality; toxic masculinity; stage fright; anxiety; ballet; music; school

Read more by the author!

shapes trilogy; humor; funny; imagination

funny; adventure; digging; imagination; brothers

father's day; read aloud; imagination; creativity; asking questions

bear; environment; winter; arctic; earth day; animals

"[E]ven kids resistant to more didactic entreaties may be enticed to join the characters as they wonder."

— Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

"Mind-blowing in the best possible way."

— Horn Book (starred review)

"Charming, playful, and extraordinary imaginings will galvanize young minds to find inspired answers to their own questions."

— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"An engaging, easy-to-read tale, perfect for winter story hours."

— School Library Journal (starred review)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 2—It is left to readers to intuit the source of John's stage fright in this heartwarming school story. A spunky child's voice explains about Friday assembly and Sharing Gifts time, when one student gets to perform for the whole school. Today it is John's turn. When the blue curtain opens, John, in his white leotard, black pants, and slippers, could not look more apprehensive. His expression barely changes through his first steps to the music, but then, after a graceful leap that spans two pages, John begins to dance with confidence and joy. He scissors his legs, spins, and soars with pointed toes and arms outstretched until the music stops. His worried eyebrows are gone, and there is a small smile on his lips. Then it is everybody else's turn…to clap. The child narrator and the loose line of the ink and paint illustrations capture the wiggly ambience of an elementary school assembly. The spreads over which John dances in a world of his own need no words and practically summon the music he is dancing to. VERDICT A charming affirmation of believing in oneself and of recognizing the heartfelt talents of others.—Jan Aldrich Solow

Review

Employing sweet humor and sensory detail, Barnett (What Is Love?) and Berube (Second Banana) convey the unexpected beauty of a school performance. . . in a breathlessly kinetic, wordless sequence, spreads show John turning, leaping, and landing, light as a feather. . . The story’s collective, omniscient voice and graceful illustrations, wonderfully reminiscent of The Philharmonic Gets Dressed, portray a community that stays open and curious—and a child who shares their effort with brave vulnerability.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Barnett and Berube offer a sensitive story about a boy grappling with stage fright and insecurity. . . . Barnett and Berube bring mastery of craft as well as an understanding of human nature to offer a fresh take on a familiar trope.

—The Horn Book (starred review)

Berube’s warmly colored illustrations capture how John’s apprehension turns to confidence and even elation as he dances; his facial expressions and body language are spot-on. Much of this perfectly paced book is devoted to John’s performance, including five elegantly and economically composed, almost wordless spreads. . . . John faces down his fear to share his gift with determination, beauty and a style that is all his own. A true gift, indeed.




—BookPage (starred review)

The quiet text tells the story simply, though during the lively, eight-page dance sequence featuring images of John in motion, two words suffice: 'He danced.' Berube’s sensitive drawings, created with ink and paint, capture the look and ambiance of the elementary-school setting as well as John’s emotions. A respectful, wonderfully childlike introduction to ballet.

—Booklist

Berube’s simple ink-and-paint illustrations have minimal background details, allowing readers to focus squarely on John and his emotions. It is truly wonderful to see a boy character in a children’s book so enthusiastic about, and accomplished at, ballet. Any child, though, who has a talent to share or struggles with performance anxiety will find a role model in John. . . . A lovely, empowering book about having the courage to express one’s individuality.

—Kirkus Reviews

Dappled textures and simple lines of the ink and watercolor art play well with perspective. . . Viewers who struggle with stage fright and embracing their hobbies may gain some confidence from John’s journey and the book’s welcoming, inclusive tone.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

This wonderful children’s book is filled with tender illustrations and a lovely story about a boy who is waiting for his turn at Friday Assembly where they have a “Sharing Gifts” portion. I just loved this book, especially the ending.
—Book Riot

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candlewick (February 24, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1536203955
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1536203950
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.08 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10 x 0.41 x 11 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 37 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Mac Barnett

    Mac Barnett

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Mac Barnett is a New York Times-bestselling author whose books for children have sold more than one million copies in the United States and have been translated into over 30 languages. His picture books include two Caldecott-Honor-winning collaborations with Jon Klassen: Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, which also won the E.B White Read-Aloud Award, and Extra Yarn, which won both the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award. Leo: A Ghost Story, illustrated by Christian Robinson, and The Skunk, illustrated by Patrick McDonnell, were named two of the Ten Best Illustrated Books of 2015 by The New York Times. Mac's novels include the Brixton Brothers series of mystery novels The Terrible Two series. He lives in Oakland, California.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Kate Berube

    Kate Berube

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Kate Berube (Bear uh bee) grew up in a cow-filled Connecticut town where she dreamed of being an artist. She earned her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and spent a semester studying in Paris. Like many artists, though, her career trajectory wasn't a straight line – along the way she was a nanny, a tax preparer, a scenic painter, a decorative painter, and a bookseller (at Portland's own Powell’s Books). Portland is where she now makes her home with her family.

    Kate Berube is the author-illustrator of Mae’s First Day of School and Hannah and Sugar, which won the Marion Vannett Ridgway Award and the Oregon Book Award for Children’s Literature, and was shortlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize. She is the illustrator of Willow the White House Cat, written by Jill Biden, John's Turn written by Mac Barnett, which won the Irma Black Silver Medal, and The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read written by Curtis Manley, which won a CLEL Bell Award and was a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year.

    See more on the author's page
Next page

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
37 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

JMW
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely!
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2022
Verified Purchase
Great story that resonates with kids and adults alike. Beautiful illustrations that tell the story to perfection.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars Warm and Sensitive
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2022
Verified Purchase
So simple and powerful. A story to celebrate being yourself.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Sara R
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2022
Verified Purchase
How will his classmates react to John sharing his talent? Find out in John’s Turn, the story that mimics a lot of our childhood memories of excitement, fear, and joy. I vividly remember that age where we no longer have the blind confidence of boldly sharing our passions or love of things for fear of criticism by our peers. Luckily for the main character he moves past that fear, dancing his heart out to the shock and then amazement of the other children. This is a great book for young school children to not shy away from sharing what we really love. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and illustrations that showed how the main character gained his confidence again.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
LHK
5.0 out of 5 stars John's Turn isn't a book about a boy who dances
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2023
JOHN'S TURN isn't a book about a *boy* who dances... I mean, it *IS* but it's a book about a child sharing something he loves to do, and is really good at, with his classmates. Unlike other texts that feature dancing boys, the text doesn't touch on there being anything unusual about a boy who dances. Berube does a gorgeous job with the illustrations (so much movement!), and the text, as we expect from Mac Barnett at this point, is incredibly relatable -- this author must remember exactly what it was like to be a kid. A must for every class.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Low rider
5.0 out of 5 stars Tender and Gorgeous book - visually stunning!
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2023
We LOVE this book - the beautifully considered drawings and the way the illustrator has created a character with such sensitivity and depth. A lovely story about doing what you love and sharing it with the world.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Carrie
5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful book!
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2023
I love the voice - Mac Barnett captures the essence of how kids talk and think so well. The soft color palette, and expressive faces and body language of the all the kids, especially John, by Kate Berube is amazing!
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
MP
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story with amazing illustrations
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2022
My daughter loves this one!
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kailey Bradley
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Inspiring!
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2022
At the Friday Assembly in school, the children take turns each week doing a talent show of some kind for their classmates. Today it is John's turn to perform. John is obviously nervous about his performance. He has to change clothes and wait backstage until the music starts. Once he begins to dance, John forgets about his nerves and just enjoys moving to the music. But will his audience enjoy the performance?

This is such a beautiful book! I love the simple but emotional story, and the way that the reader is pulled into John's experience. The positive messages of courage and acceptance make this book really special. By the end of the book, I was cheering and clapping for John!

The soft artwork is warm and energetic. You can feel the emotions rolling off the page. When John dances, every movement is so lively and strong! I felt like I was watching him actually dance in graceful pirouettes and jetes.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report