Back to School
Kindergarteners are not the only ones who get nervous about school. As many of the books highlighted below show, back to school jitters can affect anyone. Reading about this experience can calm nerves and help settle anxieties about starting school this fall. It is also a way to empathize with others who may be having different experiences with heading back to school.
Back to school often brings a lot of new: new teachers, new classmates, new buildings, new neighborhoods, even things like new supplies and clothes. Transitions are challenging for most of us and this can be a big one, especially that first week or two of school. Eating healthy and getting plenty of sleep are always important but as summer draws to a close getting into a school schedule is a main focus point for parents. Allowing time to read aloud about the new school year is one way to help ease this transition.
In addition to the new titles below, there are many favorites that work for reading to your family or students as they head back to school. Did they see the new Ramona and Beezus movie this summer? Ramona starts kindergarten in Beverly Cleary’s Ramona the Pest. Other popular characters who experience starting school include: Ella (Ella the Elegant Elephant); the Berenstain Bears; Arthur; Little Critter; Lola (Charlie and Lola); Wemberly (Wemberly Worried); and many more. Browse through this feature and those from previous years to discover more.
Back to school resources:
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Back_to_School.shtml
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=10623
Contributor: Emily Griffin
Reviews
3,2,1 School is Fun
Amanda Haley
Illustrated by Lynne Avril
Music, art, and story time are just some of the activities during preschool. Follow along as the children in the story share the fun they have at preschool. The colorful pictures, happy faces, and different activities provide a delightful introduction to a preschool day. The illustrations highlight the children in the classroom and the activities that they participate in during their busy and fun-filled day. They build with blocks, march with the music, finger paint a banner, and more. While listening to the story, children may have fun by chiming in with the repeated line of text, “3-2-1 our school is fun!” At the back of the book, adults will find a few helpful tips to encourage conversation and interaction with children about preschool itself and the different activities that preschoolers like. This book is a part of the “Rookie Preschool: My First Rookie Reader” series which features other concepts that are geared for preschoolers’ learning and enjoyment. 2010, Children’s Press/Scholastic, $21.00 and $ 6.95. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-531-24405-0
ISBN: 978-0-531-24580-4
Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials
Rosalind Wiseman
Charlie Healey is attending Harmony Falls High School to escape the drama she faced in middle school. The girls who were supposed to be her best friends were mean and manipulative and it was easiest to leave them behind. While Charlie has a few bumps in her first few days, she quickly finds a new group of good friends. She thrives in her involvement with the school newspaper and in the challenging classes. But she soon discovers that not all is perfect at Harmony Falls. The student body pride relies on a strong sense of tradition. Some are fun, like the floats for the homecoming parade, but others are dangerous. When an old friend gets caught up in hazing rituals for the lacrosse team, Charlie must decide between doing what is right and what is popular. While the story includes subtle lessons about friendship and values, these do not overwhelm the fun and fast-paced narrative. The situations will be familiar to many readers and the characters are engaging, with just enough romantic interest. Young adult books displaying positive relationships with family members, teachers, and peers are in short supply. While the adults are realistically flawed, their interactions are natural and supportive. This is a humorous look at teenage life that explores many of the problems in a straightforward, yet intuitive manner. 2010, G.P. Putnam’s Sons/Penguin Young Readers Group, $17.99. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Jennifer Lehmann (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-399-24796-5
ISBN: 0-399-24796-3
Busing Brewster
Richard Michelson
Pictures by R.G. Roth
Back in the 1970s Brewster, our African American narrator and his brother are far from happy when their delighted mother tells them they will be going to a school in the white part of town. Although the school has art, music, a large library, and even a swimming pool, the boys will have an hour ride on the bus. When they arrive at school, they are greeted by an angry, rock-throwing throng of protesters. Inside, when brother Bryan pushes a nasty student, the boys are sent to the library for detention. Brewster is encouraged by the librarian to persevere. He can hope to be president some day. We know that President Obama has mentioned his own “time out” in his school library. Roth has covered the end pages with sketches of outdoor school play. His lighthearted approach contrasts with the serious subject of the story. Ink lines and stylized watercolors define people; collage is added for clothing and other objects. The pale skin of the protesters contrasts with the brown skin of the bussed-in students. The scenes are suggestive rather than specific; there is an open approach to page designs depicting constant motion and interaction. In a note offering historic context for young readers today, Michelson says that Brewster is a composite of many youngsters at that time, and the school situation was unfortunately repeated in many places. 2010, Alfred A. Knopf/Random House Children’s Books, Ages 6 to 8, $16.99. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-375-83334-2
ISBN: 978-0-375-93334-9
First Grade Jitters
Robert Quakenbush
Illustrations by Yan Nascimbene
Kindergarten isn’t the only time that kids are nervous about school. Even first graders get the jitters. Aiden isn’t eating normally. He feels like the same kid, but getting ready to go to first grade is sending him over the edge. Even getting new shoes sends him into a frenzy. He worries about his friends. Will his old ones still be around? Will the teacher be upset if he doesn’t know how to read or spell or do math? Will she even speak so that he can understand her? Aiden tries to fake an injury hoping he won’t have to go to school. But soon his friends come back from vacation and they get together to play. Tammy reveals she’s already met their first grade teacher at the grocery story. The new teacher is nice and speaks just like them, Tammy claims. Aiden gets over his jitters and is ready to go on to first grade. This story rings true for kids starting school again because the worries and emotions are genuine. This is a great story for kindergarten and first grade classrooms or if a soon-to-be first grader you know needs to get rid of the jitters. BIBLIO: 2010, Harper/HarperCollins, Ages 5 to 7, $16.99. Marcie Flinchum Atkins (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-077632-9
How to Survive Middle School
Donna Gephardt
Ugh, middle school. Even decades later, I can remember the dread I felt at moving from being a big kid on campus in elementary school to a low person on the totem pole in middle school. That’s how narrator David Greenberg feels at the beginning of this book. David’s dread is compounded by an argument with his best friend Elliot. Since the boys are no longer friends, David can’t count on Elliot’s help when making his TalkTime comedy videos for Youtube. Worse, Elliot has become chummy with the school bully, Tommy Murphy—and Tommy has it in for David. At least there is Sophie. While working together on a science project, David shows her his videos. Sophie loves them so much she e-mails the links to everyone she knows, and before you know it, David’s an instant celebrity! He’s even mentioned on the show of his hero, Jon Stewart. That doesn’t solve his problem with Tommy Murphy, his longing for his mother, his awkwardness around Sophie, or his fear of “swirlies,” but it does make middle school a whole lot more bearable. And who knows? Maybe Elliot will come around yet. Gephardt’s take on middle school angst is realistic. David’s instant fame may be a solution that many adolescents wish for, but it seems a stretch. (Don’t lots of teens post self-made videos on Youtube these days? How many achieve social acceptance and celebrity as a result? I suspect few.) Still, David is a likeable character, and this is a quick read. Readers will be glad to find that he survives middle school—and they can, too. 2010, Delacorte Press/Random House, Ages 9 to 14, $15.99. Reviewer: Heidi Hauser Green (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-385-73793-7
Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?
Audrey Vernick
Illustrations by Daniel Jennewein
Every kid wonders what kindergarten will be like? But not every kid takes a buffalo to kindergarten. Is your buffalo unsure about how to use scissors? No problem. He’ll learn. Does he like to paint? Play hide-and-seek? Then he’ll love kindergarten. The joys and fears about kindergarten are celebrated, through the cuddly buffalo that comes along to kindergarten with a little girl. Soon-to-be kindergarteners will love the humor and preposterousness that the buffalo brings to this kindergarten story. Jennewein paints a buffalo with a mix of buffalo antics and kindergarten antics making this story even more outlandish. Buffalo learns to share without using his horns. The buffalo also learns that eating grass makes him different from everyone else, but that’s also what makes him special. While laughing at the buffalo, readers will learn that kindergarten will be full of new experiences that will be so fun they will want to stay in kindergarten. Jennewein’s illustrations with crayon outlines are bright and simple, with little background that will make kids laugh out loud. This book would make a great gift for a child entering kindergarten and for preschool and kindergarten classrooms. 2010, Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, Ages 4 to 6, $16.99. Reviewer: Marcie Flinchum Atkins (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-176275-8
Kindergarten Diary
Antoinette Portis
Antoinette Portis introduces readers to Annalina, a young girl who is keeping a diary during her first month of kindergarten (or rather, as told to Portis). Annalina’s first entry is titled “The Day Before the First Day of School” and she informs us that she only likes preschool and does not want to go to kindergarten with the big kids in the big school. Once school begins Annalina explains how she was worried her teacher would be scary (the illustration is of a Medusa-like woman with pencils for hair, covered in numbers and eating the alphabet wall border), but turns out to be very “un-scary” (a tame Ms. Duffy looks sweet wearing a poka-dotted dress). As school continues Annalina makes two good friends, learns to write her name (which she shortens to Anna -- much easier to write), cross the monkey bars, and has her first show-and-tell. At the end of the month, and book, Annalina proclaims that she definitely likes kindergarten and is too busy to write any more! Portis’s use of mixed media images to show us Annalina’s world and imagination makes this picture book/diary have a scrapbook feel. Most pages use white notebook paper with blue lines as the background, which adds to the youthful and creative vibe. This book about starting kindergarten is useful to show the progression of adapting to school during the first month and is recommended. 2010, Harper/HarperCollins, Ages , $12.99. Reviewer: Emily Griffin (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-145691-6
Kit Feeny: On the Move
Michael Townsend
Illustrated by Michael Townsend
Kit Feeny, an appealing cross between a cute, anthropomorphic animal and a Teletubbie, moves far away from his best friend, Arnold. The two friends’ attempt to stow Arnold away in a box on the moving van fails and Kit realizes he will have to go it alone in his new home. He has the bright idea to find a replacement Arnold. On the first day of school, however, rather than finding a replacement, he instead overlooks a potential new friend and attracts the attention of the school bully. Through some ingenious thinking and planning, and a realization that Arnold is irreplaceable, Kit eventually figures out how to set things straight. In the end he gains two new friends as well as maintains his friendship with Arnold. With his quirky sense of humor and creative problem solving Kit is sure to appeal to a young comic book audience. His signature phrase, “stupidly awesome” is repeated throughout providing a catchy refrain to his actions and further illustrates his character. His twin sisters, April and Bonnie, who antagonize Kit at every turn, provide further comic interest. The 2-color illustrations are simple yet charming and compliment the entertaining text. This first in a series of Kit Feeny books is a winning package that will have readers looking forward to more. 2009, Alfred A. Knopf/Random House, Ages 6 to 10, $5.99. Reviewer: Margaret Orto (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-375-85614-3
Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I Don't)
Barbara Bottner
Illustrated by Michael Emberley
All of her classmates find books they like in the library with the help of the enthusiastic, book-loving librarian Miss Brooks. But Missy, our first-grade narrator, remains unimpressed. As they celebrate books through the seasons and holidays, Miss Brooks keeps trying. During Book Week, when she must share a story in costume with the class, Missy can think of nothing that interests her--except warts. Then her mother reads her Shrek. And she loves it! Her report is a success; Miss Brooks is delighted. Her message is clear: everyone can find something in the library. Missy seems a bit pathetic at first, dumpy, with straggly hair. Miss Brooks is far from a stereotypical librarian, wearing clunky boots and many braids. Emberly pictures them, along with the other book-loving students and Missy’s patient, supportive mother, light-heartedly around and across the pages, using pencil, “scanned, then printed …using waterproof inks, then painted with tube watercolors.” What fun to read aloud in the library! 2010, Alfred A. Knopf/Random House Children’s Books, $17.99. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-375-84682-3
ISBN: 978-0-375-94682-0
My School Community
Bobbie Kalman
Within a community there are smaller communities such as schools. According to the text, “People at my school work together. We help each other learn.” The text then drills down to take a closer look at the school, its structure and the make up of a class. Many people keep the school running ranging from the teachers to the principal and the custodians. The group in this particular classroom looks like a mini United Nations. Kids at school learn to share computers and art supplies; they play at sports and may even take music classes, but, most important of all, they respect their teacher. There are many ways that kids get to school: buses and bikes are mentioned but not walking. Kids go to school to learn and with a good education get a job in a field of interest. To make school enjoyable and provide an environment for learning there are certain rules that one should follow. These are listed on a blackboard for all to read and hopefully adopt. The segue into cultures and keeping healthy is not smooth and seems to be tacked on to the end. The opening pages contain a table of contents, and the closing page has a list of words to know and an index accompanied by pictures. Simple declarative sentences and questions accompanied by photographs of children from a variety of ethnic backgrounds set on crisp white pages make this an attractive book. It is a Level “G” book in the “My World” series. 2010, Crabtree, $5.95 and $18.60. Ages 5 to 6. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7787-9442-4
ISBN: 0-7787-9442-3
The New Girl (Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls)
Meg Cabot
Fourth grader Allie Finkle makes up the rules as she goes along. Throughout the “Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls” series, Allie records her unique rules for being the best friend, sister, student, and girl she can be. In book two, Allie is excited to start the first day at her new school, Pine Heights Elementary. Along with her new school Allie has many other new additions to her life: a stylish new teacher, Mrs. Hunter, three new friends, Erica, Caroline, and Sophie, and she will soon be the proud owner of a new kitten. Being the new girl can be scary, especially when Allie meets up with Rosemary Dawkins, who vows to kill her for reasons Allie cannot figure out. Allie solicits advice from her father, uncle, and grandmother, but each advisor confuses her further. Just when she feels she has hit a dead end, she receives some enlightened advice from an unlikely source. This newly acquired information helps Allie form a different opinion of Rosemary Dawkins and resolve the conflict between them. Both students and parents will be engaged in Meg Cabot’s character and find it impossible to tear themselves away. From Allie’s simplest and silliest rules to her more complex and insightful ones; readers will identify with Allie and put Finkle’s rules into action in their own lives. The story is excellent for students who feel nervous about attending a new school, those who need help dealing with bullies. The book’s entertaining and humorous text will help with students’ fluency and comprehension, as it is engaging, entertaining, and a great attention-grabber. 2008, Scholastic Press/Scholastic Inc, Ages 9 to 12, $15.99. Reviewer: Kaitlyn Hodges (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-545-04049-3
The Pirate of Kindergarten
George Ella Lyon
Illustrated by Lynne Avril
Here is a bit of a deceptive story and title. That the setting is kindergarten is irrelevant and the story has nothing to do with pirates. Ginny is a young girl with a problem. She sees things differently and it is not that she has a wild imagination, it is because she suffers from a physical problem—double vision. Once diagnosed Ginny has to wear a patch over one eye and suddenly the crazy world she has been living in where she sees two of everything goes away. The exercises, glasses and eye patch let her enjoy what she loves best—reading. Now Ginny can also do arithmetic, follow the lines to cut out things, climb on the playground monkey bars and reach her seat in the reading circle without falling. The author’s story could easily extend to any kid who is dealing with a disease or disability that makes him or her stand out from the rest of the class. The kids in Ginny’s class don’t seem to have any problem accepting a classmate who wears an eye patch. Perhaps that is why the setting was chosen, since kids that age may be more accepting. 2010, Richard Jackson Book/Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, Ages 4 to 8, $16.99, Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature)
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5024-0
Pirate’s Guide to First Grade
James Preller
Illustrated by Greg Ruth
The language made me immediately think of Long John Silver and the font chose for certain words also has a look of the past. There are multiple stories—the text, the reality in the artwork and the fanciful imaginary world in the sepia illustrations that accompany the more realist ones. These shadowy illustrations feature the pirates. It is the first day of school and time to get ready—our young protagonist shines his snappers and after dressing mashes his chompers on grub. “Ahoy, me harties!” he cries as he boards the school bus. Wouldn’t you know his teacher’s name is Silver and is referred to as Captain Silver. The usual rituals are all couched in nautical terms including story time, after which our young lad exclaims “Blimy, it was a whale of a tale!” It ends with a trip to the library where his treasure is reading a copy of Treasure Island. The closing endpapers define the pirate terminology found in the text. If pirates are your thing great, if you are heading off for a first day at school this may be a good choice to alleviate those first day jitters. 2010, Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, Ages 5 to7, $16.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature)
ISBN: 978-0-312-36928-6
Reading, Rhyming, and ‘Rithmetic
Dave Crawley
Illustrated by Liz Callen
This is Crawley’s third book of poetry for kids (preceded by Cat Poems and Dog Poems). Whimsical and brightly colored cartoonlike drawings accompany this collection of thirty-one poems that address the everyday dilemmas of school life: cafeteria food, terrifying teachers, spelling tests, homework, and new kids in school. Poems are one to two pages long with lots of white space and large illustrations, making them very accessible to even reluctant readers. And of course the topics will be bound to entice many who would shy away from more serious fare. Why does Vanessa eat paste anyway? And how did the class pet snake get loose from his cage? This book offers options for enjoyable independent reading as well as a stimulus for introducing poetry reading and writing. Several of the topics covered here in lyric form could also serve as discussion starters or critical thinking activities about more serious issues like bullying and cheating. 2010, Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press, Ages 8 to 13, $17.95. Reviewer: Paula McMillen, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59078-565-2
The Sandwich Swap
Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah with Kelly DiPucchio
Illustrated by Tricia Tusa
Although Salma and Lily are best friends in school, and do everything together, their lunches are very different. Lily secretly thinks that Salma’s hummus and pita sandwiches are yucky, while Salma thinks that Lily’s peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are gross. One day, when they finally tell each other how they feel, they stop doing everything together. Other students begin to take sides, insulting each other, until there is a terrible food fight. Ashamed, at lunch the next day the girls bravely agree to try each other’s sandwich. Finding them “delicious” and “heavenly,” they meet with the principal to plan a special event, celebrated in a final foldout. Tusa’s colored drawings clearly define the appealing characters of the two girls as they dominate most of the double-page scenes. The other children are supporting actors in the drama as they add insults to fuel the wild food fight. They also join in the final international buffet, with flags identifying the spreads on the table. A note from Her Majesty supplies the personal experience that is the basis of the story, along with the hope for understanding and the tolerance of foreign or strange experiences. 2010, Disney Hyperion Books/Disney Book Group, Ages 4 to 8, $16.99. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4231-2484-9
School! Adventures at the Harvey N. Trouble Elementary School
Kate McMullan
Illustrated by George Booth
It’s wacky and full of puns and play on words with every characters name having a dual meaning or a made up combination of words. Sometimes it is just plain silly, but it will certainly appeal to kids in elementary school. The students on the school bus are late nearly every day because Mr. Stuckinaditch manages to do that. But arriving late is no problem at Harvey N. Trouble Elementary School as Ms. Cecilla Seeyalater just writes out late passes. However, this group of kids is having a hard time because their regular teacher Mrs. Pretzgalore is absent. They have a series of wild days with various substitute and regular teachers–they make an exploding volcano, exercise with the coach, help find the music teachers wig and cat and put up with janitors who quit daily whenever they are faced with a mess to clean up. Each day, our protagonist Ron Faster takes the same route home, responds to the same questions from his parents reporting that he has had “a “tippy-toppy day” and in turn asks them if they have had any luck finding jobs. His mother is a superb chef and his father a retired race car driver. How it all comes together to make a happy ending for everyone makes for a “tippy-toppy read.” 2010, Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, Ages 6 to 9, $12.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-312-37592-8
Spaceheadz
Jon Scieszka and Francesco Sedita
Illustrated by Shane Prigmore
It’s Michael K’s first day of fifth grade in his new school in Brooklyn, and he just wants to be able to fit in. But when new students Bob and Jennifer and their chatty pet hamster, Major Fluffy, show up and attach themselves to Michael, he knows his chances of fitting in with the normal kids are slim to none. Bob and Jennifer are commercial-quoting aliens, and their mission is to convince 3.14 million kids to become Spaceheadz, or they will have to turn off planet Earth. And since Michael K starred in a cereal commercial when he was little in which he said, “I can do anything,” Bob and Jennifer are convinced that Micheal K is the solution to their Spaceheadz recruiting problem. Meanwhile Agent Umber of the AAA (Anti Alien Agency) is bumbling his way to finding Bob, Jennifer, and Major Fluffy, but spends more time getting hit on the head than achieving his goals. The first in what will apparently be a long series of books devoted to the Spaceheadz brand is a mix of cynicism and brilliant marketing. Much of the plot of the book is dependent on readers going online to various websites that help explain the backstory and what is going on with Bob and Jennifer. Without going to those sites, the book is difficult to follow. It’s a brilliant marketing ploy, geared to a generation that is more comfortable online than reading pages of a book. The sites themselves are harmless and cleverly done. This series is targeted at readers from ages 7 to 10, but is probably most likely to appeal to the lower end of that age range. 2010, Simon and Schuster, Ages 7 to 10, $14.99. Reviewer: Lauri Berkenkamp (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-7951-7
ISBN: 978-1-4169-8705-5
There’s No Place Like School: Classroom Poems
Jack Prelutsky
Illustrated by Jane Manning
Thirteen poets contribute to this collection of eighteen poems about school. Selected by Jack Prelutsky, the first U.S. Children's Poet Laureate and famous for his notoriously silly children’s poetry, this collection shows the many parts of a school day. Topics include taking the bus, show-and-tell, counting down to recess, art and music class, learning cursive, cafeteria food, sleeping in class, forgetting a test, reading, banishing homework, and more. There is a balance in the different tones the poems take: some silly, such as shooting milk out of noses; some about common anxieties or unfair rules; and others about cool subjects being learnt. This mixture is what makes this poetry book stand out from other school poems. Manning’s watercolor illustrations capture the class’s energy and spunk. They also compliment the poems and create a cohesive look to the book. Lee Bennett Hopkins, Kay Winters, Kenn Nesbitt, Charles Ghigna, and Jack Prelutsky, are several of the poets featured. This poetry collection would be a good addition to a classroom or library; it would work well as a read-aloud. 2010, Greenwillow/HarperCollins, Ages 4 to 8, $16.99. Reviewer: Emily Griffin (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-082338-2
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Updated 07/28/10
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