by Tom Brenner (Author) Jen Hill (Illustrator)
Joyful anticipation is in the air as a child observes cues that the first day of school is coming soon.
Cooler mornings, cicadas buzzing, apples ripening...Can shopping for school supplies be far behind? The evening before the first day means laying out your outfit, loading up your backpack, and filling a lunch box with your favorite things.
When the alarm goes off, there's Dad's extra-special breakfast (and, of course, some picture-taking), then the feeling of bubbly excitement as you and your friends climb onto a bus, ready to see your new classroom and meet your teacher.
Whether the reader is a child who is eager to return to school or a younger one trying to imagine what school is like, this upbeat and lyrical ode--the fourth in the And Then Comes series--holds sure appeal for returning students and first-timers alike.
WorldCat is the world's largest library catalog, helping you find library materials online.
A back-to-school book refreshingly focused on the sensory feel of the familiar season.
PreS-Gr 3--This book stands out among back-to-school titles, as it describes the last days of summer leading to the first day of class. Lyrical prose softly paints a sensory picture of these days, as in, "the breeze carries the scent of ripening apples, and tall sunflowers, full of seeds, begin to droop." The family is relaxed and calm without any of the back-to-school rush typically associated with this time of year. A special first day outfit is picked out, pictures are taken, and with eager excitement, the main character sets out for school. As with the previous books in the series, Brenner uses a repeated pattern of "When" and "Then" to tell the story: "When the day before school finally arrives...Then run and play on this last day of vacation." Hill's soft watercolor illustrations follow the family's end-of-summer activities, perfectly matching the text. The family presents as white, but there is a diverse array of children and teachers at the school. VERDICT This is an ideal transition from one season to next, especially for children just beginning their school years. It is also a great example to use in narrative writing units.--Heidi Dechief
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.