Halibut Jackson by David Lucas

32 p., Knopf, 2004. When you're shy, sometimes your way of coping with it is also a way to make connections with other people. Halibut Jackson is shy, and so determined not to be noticed that he has clothes for every occasion that help him to blend into the background - literally. For example, for the library, he has a suit that looks like books. When Halibut is invited to the queen's birthday party, he's faced with a dilemma. He wants to see the silver, gold, and jewel-covered palace for himself. But because he's shy, he doesn't like parties. Halibut dreams up a solution: he makes himself a silver, gold, and jewel-covered suit for the party. He reasons that if he wears this, he won't be noticed at the party. To his surprise, it turns out to be a garden party. Everyone notices him, and everyone wants a beautiful suit like his. He makes suits for everyone, and opens a shop that sells all kinds of clothes. His shyness seems not to matter so much any more. Whimsically illustrated in a style that recalls Maurice Sendak, this story is especially wonderful because it doesn't tell kids to stop being shy, but instead, encourages them to be exactly who they are. Ages 4-8