Bravo for Backstage!

Discover the magic behind the scenes!

Oscar dreams of being in the spotlight, but when the lead role in the school play goes to someone else, he finds himself in an unexpected role—stage manager. Disappointed and unsure, Oscar wonders: can you still be a star if no one sees you?

With encouragement from family and friends, Oscar learns about all the amazing people who shine from behind the scenes—like vice presidents, nurses, and even drummers. As Oscar works to keep things going backstage, he realizes that being backstage doesn’t mean being invisible. It means being indispensable.

Why kids will love Bravo for Backstage!:

• Uniquely pairs an online musical performance kit with an illustrated story
• Engaging storytelling features an uplifting lesson on handling disappointment and recognizing the value of every role
• Celebrates teamwork and the behind-the-scenes heroes who make the magic happen

When the curtains close and the audience cheers, Oscar finally understands: stars don’t just shine in the spotlight—they shine where they’re needed most.

The Mini-Musical Tales from Bird Mountain School picture book series seamlessly blends literature and the performing arts, offering an immersive storytelling experience. Each book provides online access to a script and original song recordings, allowing readers to bring the story to life as a mini musical—just like the characters in the book. This innovative series fosters creativity, imagination, and a love for the arts, making storytelling a truly interactive adventure.

Mary Rand Hess is the coauthor of the Mini-Musical Tales from Bird Mountain School picture book series. She is a poet, playwright, screenwriter, composer, mixed-media artist, and a New York Times bestselling author of a dozen books, including Quiet Is Strength and Belong. Mary loves collaborative arts and working with other creators. She executive-produced the children’s digital series Songbook for the Kennedy Center, and she is co-playwright for the smash-hit musical Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie: Starring Indigo Blume, which had its world premiere at the Kennedy Center and toured the United States. Whether she’s creating for the page, stage, or screen, Mary has many stories to dream up and share. She lives in Southern California with her husband and sons. Visit Mary at maryrandhess.com to find out more about her books and the projects she’s creating. 

Randy Preston is the coauthor of the Mini-Musical Tales from Bird Mountain School picture book series. He is an African Piscataway composer, writer, photographer, educator, and performer. He was raised and educated in the United Kingdom and Kenya and taught English literature. Randy composed and performed for ABC Mouse, the Kennedy Center’s digital series Songbook, and Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie: Starring Indigo Blume which had a national tour in 2023. He is excited about his debut picture book, First Drum, arriving in 2025. Randy’s current projects include a musical adaptation of the documentary Love Them First and writing a giant YA novel. He co-authored the picture book How to Sing a Song with Kwame Alexander. For more information about Randy and his many projects, visit randypreston.com. 

Marilena Perilli grew up in New York City. Her first art influences were the colorfully painted subway cars clattering above her on elevated tracks. Her work brings the charm of 1960s and 70s process printing into the digital world, giving it a fresh, energetic spin. Marilena prefers to work digitally, leaning into the textured and painterly qualities of gouache while using limited color palettes. She has worked extensively in children's publishing, as well as in editorial, educational, licensing, advertising, and television. Marilena's love language is cooking, and she enjoys recreating dishes from her first-generation Italian-American upbringing. She lives in Westchester, New York, with her firefighter husband and two teenage boys.