School's First Day of School

by Adam Rex and Christian Robinson

We know about children’s anxiety on the first day of school but what about... read more

We know about children’s anxiety on the first day of school but what about the school itself? Newly built Frederick Douglass Elementary is just as nervous about its first day as its students are. Before school starts, a man named Janitor mops and buffs the floors, and it’s nice when it’s just the two of them. But when the children start filing in—more of them than the school could have imagined—school begins to worry. It’s clear not all of the kids want to be there, while others are afraid. The kids are also noisy and messy (although school gets even by squirting a boy at the water fountain). But school discovers it can learn a thing or two in kindergarten class. By the time the kids leave at the end of the first day, school is eager to have them come back. Christian Robinson’s acrylic illustrations incorporate classic elements, like a flag, circle rug, and chalkboard with the alphabet above, in scenes showing a diverse, contemporary school in this perfect antidote for first-day jitters. Highly Commended, 2017 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 4–7)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2017

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