Kindergarten Jitter Busters

Helping to wrestle "First Day of School" panic to its knees a la Ready and Waiting For You, our last featured book, can make any child feel as brave as a superhero. With that in mind, here are three more new books that offer innovative, if unorthodox, game plans to make sure even the shyest child comes out on top.

Oliver and his Alligator by Paul Schmid introduces a painfully shy little boy who, on his first day of school, "...felt his brave wasn't nearly as big as he needed it to be." His solution? Why, to stop by the swamp of course--and pick up an alligator! Whenever he's asked a question or feeling overwhelmed, he mumbles, "Munch, Munch!" Oliver becomes calmer as his alligator mysteriously grows fatter... Schmid's droll text and illustrations will tug grins from even the most wan-faced, quaking child.

If you were a T-Rex, would you be afraid of school? No, because dinosaurs always win! Bob Shea's unruly dino is ready to invade the hallowed halls of academia. Even glitter and glue haven't got a chance against a red, over-energized, toothy lizard.

 Reluctant scholars will embrace Dinosaur vs. School as the perfect book to sneak into a backpack for moral support.                                           

All right, there's no way out--You-have-to-go-to-school!!! Now what? Sarah Maizes' On My Way to School  gives kids plenty of options as to their modes of transportation: a pirate ship, kangaroo, covered wagon, and, yes, a tiger-filled school bus. There is nothing subtle about Michael Paraskevas' illustrations. Livi the reluctant, cowboy boot-wearing student is resplendent with her out-of-control pigtails and garish red and green pet frog. Going from an unidentifiable mound beneath the covers to queen of the classroom is as uncomplicated as turning a page for Livi and her revved up imagination. Children will forget all about first day of school jitters as they excitedly point out the crazy pigtails on...a blue elephant?        MightyM

First Day of School Blues

In neighborhoods all over the country crowded hallways are filled with teary-eyed parents and wailing children. Ah, the trauma. Oh, the guilt. What if there were a way to bypass all this gut-wrenching "First Day of School" drama? In Ready and Waiting for You, everyone on the bus and in the school is waiting for your child. Page-sized "gate folds" invite little hands to open the "doors" to reveal friendly faces welcoming the anxious child to the exciting world of school. See? There's nothing to worry about!

The multiracial children and adults featured are cleverly created from colorful torn-paper. Illustrator Catherine Stock takes the reader on a cheery visual tour from the bright yellow school bus to the sunny classroom and everywhere in between.

Judi Moreillon's cheerful repetitive text practically begs the child to read along. The invitation at the book's end will help put most fears to rest while creating a mindset of hopeful expectation:

          "Come in. Come in.
          Come in through this door...
          We won't be a whole school till you do.
          Everyone's waiting for you!"

MightyM

Book Review: The Monkey Goes Bananas by C.P. Bloom

Sometimes you just need a good laugh.  When you and your preschooler run into one of those times, I suggest The Monkey Goes Bananas.  This new picture book by C. P. Bloom and illustrated by Peter Raymundo is laugh-out-loud funny.

This exuberant book gets the story started right away on the title page, where we see our hero deep in "The Thinker" style contemplation. Next, on the copyright page, we discover that The Monkey is trying to figure out how to get to a lovely bunch of bananas that are on the next island.  At first, he simply tries crossing The Water to get to the banana island, but soon he finds his situation complicated by The Shark.