Take It? What Do You Do with a Chance by Kobi Yamada

One day, I got a chance.

It just seemed to show up. I did not know why it was here.

"What do you do with a chance?" I wondered.

What CAN he do with it? It's a flying thingie, something like a golden paper butterfly.

It fluttered around me as if it wanted me to grab it.

Should he go for it?

While he is wondering, the thing flies away. Did he miss his chance? Why is he afraid?

The next time he notices the chance, he goes right for it. He leaps up, misses, and falls. The others laugh.

I decided I never wanted to fail this way again.

He pretends he doesn't care, but he can't help thinking that he maybe he's missed something important. Are all the others braver than he is? Should he just pretend to have the courage to try again?

Will he ever get another chance?

"The second I let go of my fears, I was full of excitement. This was a really huge chance!"

In his third book in his series, Kobi Yamada's What Do You Do With a Chance? — New York Times best seller (Compendium, Inc.), is a metaphoric parable for taking advantage of what comes along in life. Yamada presents his fluttery, sparkly "chance" as a potential good thing, without mentioning, of course, that "all that glitters" may not be gold, and all chances may not be good. But the author's simple storytelling provides a hopeful message that some opportunities need to be grasped at the right moment despite fear, and artist Mae Besom's shaggy-haired young hero and translucent watercolor illustrations provide a gentle setting and a winsome little alter ego for kids who need a little encouragement to seize the day. This book does a good job of representing the very complex consideration of making life choices with a stylistic device and drawing the parallel. School Library Journal says "This title is an ideal read-aloud and discussion starter and is every bit as charming, insightful, and revelatory as its predecessors."

Yamada and Besom" first two books are What Do You Do With an Idea? — New York Times best seller and What Do You Do With a Problem? — New York Times best seller.