The Day My Turn Came

Braylon Bryant is starting fifth grade, but there's one big problem: Braylon's the new kid at school and everything is brand-new. New hallways, new faces, and a playground where everyone already seems to have a best friend.

From the sidelines, Braylon feels like he's watching a movie he isn't allowed to be in. Told in a fun, rhyming way that moves like a song, this story follows Braylon as he finds the courage to take his first big step in an unknown school. Will he find his rhythm and join the other students, or will the fear of being the "new kid" keep him quiet?

Does your child feel like an outsider at school? This heartfelt rhyming picture book for ages 6-12 shows them they are not alone, and that one act of kindness can change everything.

Braylon Bryant is starting fifth grade at a brand-new school. New hallways. New faces. A basketball court where everyone already has a best friend. Standing at the fence watching the game he cannot join, Braylon knows that heavy, lonely feeling that every new kid carries. But he remembers what Mom always says: treat others the way you want to be treated. So he asks to play. He waits. He shows up the next day, and the day after that. And then something happens that changes everything.

The Day My Turn Came is a fun, fast-moving story told in rhyming verse that reads like a song. It follows one boy's journey from the sideline to the center of the game - and teaches children that belonging takes patience, courage, and a willingness to keep showing up.

Perfect for:

• Children starting a new school or moving to a new city
• Military and military-adjacent families who relocate frequently
• Classrooms exploring social-emotional learning (SEL) themes
• Kids who struggle with shyness, loneliness, or fitting in
• Parents and teachers looking for read-aloud books with discussion potential

• A rhyming narrative story across 11 illustrated stanzas
• 75 Q&A pages divided into Reading Comprehension, Emotional Intelligence, and Empathy & Moving sections - ideal for classroom use and SOL exam prep
• Gentle life lessons about kindness, perseverance, patience, and belonging
• Relatable characters including Braylon and his new friend Jasir