Hopscotch Girls Presents: Spotlight on Zari



Last updated Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Author: Melissa Foley and Misa Dessalines
Illustrator: Luna Valentine
Date of Publication: 2025
ISBN: 1524898899
Grade Level: 4th    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Sep. 2026

Synopsis: Meet Zari Tyler - prima ballerina, star performer, and the ultimate friend. She's on a roll - not only is she in a performance of The Nutcracker, but she's been cast as the lead for her school's production of Annie, Jr.! Now she just has to keep up with school rehearsals, dance practice, and helping market the musical with her best friend Mia and her new friend Sarah. Easy!

But collaborating with friends isn't as easy as it sounds, and with both performances coming up, as well as this maybe being her last year going to the same school as her friends, it feels like time is running out faster and faster. Can Zari juggle it all, or is it already curtain call for her?

Note to readers:
•  The Hopscotch Girls is a chapter book series. The book cannot be completed in one session. To provide full context, readers should consider reviewing the summary on the back of the book with the children to help orient them to the full story.

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  Zari is about to perform and collaborate with her friends. Have you collaborated with friends? What was it like?
•  Who else have you collaborated with?
•  Some people collaborate with their siblings, parents, friends, pets, classmates, etc. What do you think will happen between Zari and her friends?

Vocabulary

•  Collaboration: people or organizations coming together to work on a project, performance, or towards a goal.
•  Note: a short letter or message and a way to write about the unique sounds in music.
•  Convince: to make someone agree or believe a thought, idea, or perspective.
•  Briskly: in a quick, active, or energetic way.
•  Ovation: when an audience shows excitement and appreciation for a performance through clapping and yelling.

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  Zari listens to music with her father. What music do you listen to with your family?
•  Why might ballet be hard and require intensive practice?
•  What performances have you been in?
•  What performance would you prefer to do with friends: a play, a band, singing, or a dance performance? Why or why not?

Craft ideas:
•  Make a pipe cleaner stick figure person and add strings to the stick figure to make a tiny dancer. Use construction paper to make instruments and costumes by cutting out shapes and figures.
•  Create a picture of the type of performance you would want to do with your friends.

Special activities:
•  Create a song as a group with the kids. Ask someone to make a rhythm, take turns writing lyrics. Invite the kids to share their performance talents during craft time, like singing and dancing. Ask the kids to come up with their own performance.
•  Share with the kids video of older dance performances from artists such as Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor's "Make 'Em Laugh" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGCNBdCvzL4, and/or the Nicholas Brothers (their "Jumpin' Jive" with Cab Calloway at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8yGGtVKrD8 is amazing!).

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!