The universality of the first day of school transcends species in this gentle aid for newbies.
Whether you’ve got two legs or four, first days can be awfully exciting!
It’s here! Today is Sammy and Sunny’s first day of school! For Sammy, a brown-skinned girl living with her light-skinned mama, that means kindergarten. Meanwhile, Sunny, their spotted pooch, is off to dog-training class. Girl and pet alike undergo similar experiences, their days mirroring one another. Their arrivals are accompanied by a sense of loneliness that’s quickly alleviated as they throw themselves into various activities—some similar (like roll call), others quite different (Sammy listens to storytime, while Sunny digs in the dirt). Mind you, not everything goes smoothly: Sammy accidentally sprays herself while drinking from the water fountain, while Sunny’s terrified when his trainer turns on the vacuum cleaner. Overall, though, the two have a great time, and the day’s over before they even know it. And tomorrow? Well…maybe tomorrow they’ll switch schools! Though LaCour acknowledges her protagonists’ fears and concerns over the sheer newness of things, on the whole, starting school is a positive experience. The surprise ending, in which Sammy and Sunny switch schools, is left open-ended and could be taken literally or as pure fantasy. The bright, upbeat watercolor art abounds in movement and friendly faces all around.
The universality of the first day of school transcends species in this gentle aid for newbies. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 29, 2025
ISBN: 9780593695753
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Rocky Pond Books/Penguin
Review Posted Online: April 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school...
The familiar theme of the challenges facing a new kid in town is given an original treatment by photographer Border in this book of photos of three-dimensional objects in a simple modeled landscape.
Peanut Butter is represented by a slice of white bread spread with the popular condiment. The other characters in the story—a hamburger with a pair of hot dogs in tow, a bowl of alphabet soup, a meatball jumping a rope of spaghetti, a carton of French fries and a pink cupcake—are represented by skillfully crafted models of these foods, anthropomorphized using simple wire construction. Rejected by each character in turn in his search for playmates, Peanut Butter discovers in the end that Jelly is his true match (not Cupcake, as the title suggests), perhaps because she is the only one who looks like him, being a slice of white bread spread with jelly. The friendly foods end up happily playing soccer together. Some parents may have trouble with the unabashedly happy depiction of carbs and American junk food (no carrots or celery sticks in this landscape), and others may find themselves troubled by the implication that friendship across difference is impossible.
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-16773-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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