Review by New York Times Review
It's time for school, and a boy can't locate his socks, ball, book and so on. (Sound familiar?) This board book hits its mark wonderfully by turning that daily parenting quagmire into a graphically appealing seek-and-find adventure, with a clever lesson in colors thrown in. Light ("Swap!"), a master of pen and ink, adds one colored object to his retro-bold black lines on every page, asking his audience to track it down. On the last page the school bus arrives - yikes! - before the boy's got hold of his lunchbox. Mom to the rescue. DON'T GO TO SCHOOL! By Máire Zepf. Illustrated by Tarsila Krüse. 40 pp. Sterling. $14.95. (Picture book; ages 3 - 6) In this gentle, funny debut tale of helicopter parenting taken to its logical extreme, Benno, a dapper young bear, is excited about his first day of school, but Mom is having a tough time. Is that scenario a stab at reverse psychology aimed to help quell kids' fear, or a social comment aimed at hoverers? Well, both. "Stay here with me, Benno!" she cries, then tries to get him to leave the playground because "I don't know anyone here!" Krüse's art, in bear-friendly shades of honey and moss, is as warm and balanced as Zepf's story. THE TEACHER'S PET ByAnica Mrose Rissi. Illustrated byZachariah OHora. 32 pp. Disney-Hyperion. $17.99. (Picture book; ages 3 - 6) The teacher in this amusing classroom story is named, ominously, Mr. Stricter, but he's as tenderhearted as they come - which is a big problem when the class tadpole, Bruno, turns out to be a hippo. As Bruno wreaks havoc, Mr. Stricter showers him with praise. The children must get their teacher to wise up and show Bruno the door. Rissi (the "Anna, Banana" books), with her edge-of-grossout humor, and OHora ("Horrible Bear!"), with his giant-headed, candy-colored people, have over-the-top sensibilities that mesh fantastically. TWINDERGARTEN Written by Nikki Ehrlich. Illustrated by Zoey Abbott. 32 pp. Harper. $15.99. (Picture book; ages 4 - 6) For the ever-growing number of school-age twins, kindergarten is not just the start of elementary school, but the first real separation from their siblings. This reassuring debut feels up-to-date as it follows biracial twins named Dax and Zoe, used to going together "like peanut butter and jelly." They zig and zag through believable emotional reactions to being in different classrooms on their first day of school. With calm white space and feathery but orderly lines, Abbott's lovely colored-pencil art makes the schoolday seem like a breeze. ZOMBELINA SCHOOL DAYS By Kristýn Crow. Illustrated by Molly Idle. 32 pp. Bloomsbury. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 - 8) Zombie humor seems like a good match for first-day jitters. Witness a little green schoolgirl called Zombelina. The eager little undead dancer is back for her third book, and she waltzes right into her classroom ready for some clever rhyming action. She raises her hand, but it falls to the floor; she really puts her nose in a book. But she's in better shape than a shy, blue ghoul named Morty, whom she reaches out to help. The Caldecott Honor-winning Idle's ("Flora and the Flamingo") art seems to glide and dance mischievously across the pages. ONLINE An expanded visual presentation of this week's column is at nytimes.com/books.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [August 27, 2017]
Review by Booklist Review
Twins Dax and Zoe go together like peanut butter and jelly. But what will happen when they start kindergarten Zoe in one class and Dax in another? The night before school starts, Dax worries, while Zoe feels confident. As they line up for class, though, Zoe feels uneasy, while her brother looks happy. In art class, Dax makes something for his sister and, at recess, slips it into her pocket. Later, seeing both of their likenesses drawn on his heart-shaped card, she feels content and hopeful. It's an appealing first book from Wagner and Ehrlich, the latter of whom is the mother of the twins. Told with economy and sensitivity, the quiet story tells of each child warming up to kindergarten individually, while maintaining their strong connection. The delicate, precise colored-pencil drawings have an airy look, with plenty of white space and well-chosen details that help define the characters and settings. While showing that a bit of anxiety is natural when facing a new experience, this attractive picture book fosters a hopeful attitude toward school.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Dax and Zoe are curly-haired fraternal twins who do everything together-until it comes to going to kindergarten: "Tomorrow, they'd be in different classrooms. And they absolutely couldn't imagine what that would feel like." Yet the twins make friends and acclimate to new routines once they get to school, and at recess, Zoe and Dax are together again "like peanut butter and jelly." Working in soft colored pencil, debut illustrator Abbott's understated images feel airy and open, and she emphasizes not just the closeness between the twins but also the way they seem to trade off feeling confident and nervous about school. Though not all siblings will be as mutually adoring as Dax and Zoe are, newcomer Ehrlich leaves readers with the comforting idea that just because one thing changes doesn't mean that everything has to. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Agency. Illustrator's agent: Erica Rand Silverman, Stimola Literary Studio. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Dax and Zoe are inseparable twins who are about to start school. But Dax and Zoe aren't so sure about it, since starting kindergarten will mean being in different classes. With the help of their parents and each other, they find the courage to go their separate ways on the first day of school. Then with the help of teachers and new friends, Dax and Zoe soon realize that despite being apart from each other, kindergarten isn't so bad. Simple but attractive color pencil illustrations depict the action and emotions equally well. The writing is direct and effective, and the story adeptly depicts a challenging time for most families. VERDICT This heartwarming tale is perfect for storytimes, and an excellent choice for families with young twins.-Candyce -Pruitt-Goddard, -Sno-Isle Libraries, Marysville, WA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
How will twins assigned to different kindergarten classrooms survive the first day of school?Biracial (black/white) twins Zoe and Dax are inseparableuntil school starts, that is. On the night before the first day, Dax has jitters and doubts, so he pushes his bed closer to Zoe's, while Zoe is confident, holding her brother's hand as they go to sleep to reassure him. But in the morning, when their parents drop them off at school, their roles suddenly reverse. Dax quickly makes a new friend and has a great day. But Zoe just longs for her brother. The two make the most of their joint recess time, but all too soon it's over. A note from her brother turns out to be the key to helping Zoe feel more secure, and she finally joins in with new friends. While this turnaround seems a bit too quick to be believable, it's nonetheless encouraging that both have good days in the end. The white backgrounds in the colored-pencil illustrations keep the focus on the twins and their emotions, made clear through body language and facial expressions. Their classes (and teachers!) are nicely diverse, and Wagner gives readers a peek at kindergarten goings-on. Not just for sharing with twins or separated best friendsreaders will be reassured that the hot-and-cold seesaw of emotions they may be experiencing is normal. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
