I Got the School Spirit
(I Got the...)

The vivacious African American protagonist from I Got the Rhythm and I Got the Christmas Spirit returns in this ebullient follow-up, embarking on the first day of school with optimism and oomph. She discovers--and exudes--spirit at every turn, beginning at home ("I slip on the spirit in my shiny new shoes. STOMP, STOMP!" writes Schofield-Morrison) and continuing in the classroom ("We sing the spirit loud and clear. ABC, 123!") and on the playground, where she finds a ball ("I kick the spirit high up in the air. KA-POW!"). At day's end, she encounters a quieter and deeper spirit when she climbs off the school bus and into her mother's open arms: "I feel the spirit in a big ol' hug. SQUISH, SQUEEZE!" The electric hues, constant motion, and winning smiles that fill Morrison's oil paintings enhance the boundless vitality of this sensory celebration of school. Ages 3-6. (July)

K-Gr 2--A confident African American girl with two fuzzy ponytails prepares for the first day of school. "I slip on the spirit in my shiny new shoes. STOMP, STOMP!" Eating breakfast, waiting for the bus, comforting a nervous friend, standing straight and tall for attendance, and kicking the ball with super strength at recess are showcased in illustrations of the smiling, wide-eyed, energetic girl. The first-person narrative punctuated by stylized colorful sound words--"zip, zip!" and "Ka-pow!"--adds to the liveliness of the school day, which finishes with the open arms of her mother for a "squish, squeeze!" Realistic oil paintings depict a diverse cast of school classmates and a positive view of the school experience. VERDICT This cheerful and energetic story depicts a girl preparing for and embracing school spirit on her first day and will be a welcome addition for most collections.--Ramarie Beaver, formerly at Plano P.L., TX