Review by New York Times Review
In these books, back-to-school jitters give way to smiles, laughs - even a little learning. MAE'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL Written and illustrated by Kate Berube. "I'm not going" is a phrase parents dread this time of year, but a book as clever and friendly as this one may ease the situation. As the first day of school dawns, Mae is holding out, arms crossed, imagining disaster as her mom and dad hustle her out the door, insisting that fun lies ahead. She climbs a tree, where she's joined by a girl named Rosie. Then a "tall lady" climbs the tree too, and tells the kids her own reasons for not wanting to go. She's their teacher, of course - a playful stroke by Berube ("Hannah and Sugar"), whose loose-lined art makes even scrunchy scowls seem delightful. 32 pp. Abrams. $16.99. (Ages 3 to 6) WE DON'T EAT OUR CLASSMATES Written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins. Penelope, a young T-rex in pink overalls, wants to be a good classmate. She just has to kick her habit of ingesting her peers, who all happen to be children. Higgins ("Mother Bruce") knows how to make big, scary animals seem vulnerable, lovable and funny, adding a strategic touch of gross-out when our heroine spits her victims back up. But this story of a reformed predator - Penelope changes her ways after a goldfish chomps her finger - is really about empathy. 48 pp. Hyperion. $17.99. (Ages 3 to 8) THE DAY YOU BEGIN By Jacqueline Woodson. Illustrated by Rafael López. Starting a new school year is hard enough. Add in feeling different from your classmates, and it can shake a kid to the core. The incomparable Woodson ("Brown Girl Dreaming") and López ("Drum Dream Girl") extend a reassuring hand in this verbally and visually poetic book that soothes concerns about having the wrong hair, bringing strongsmelling lunches, speaking imperfect English or spending the summer vacation at home. The kids we meet all take a first step toward making the most of school: finding the bravery to tell their own stories out loud. 32 pp. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen. $18.99. (Ages 4 to 8) THE DINOSAUR EXPERT By Margaret McNamara. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. This fourth book featuring Mr. Tiffin's class (the previous one was "A Poem in Your Pocket") takes on both the excitement of a field trip to a natural-history museum and one girl's struggle to feel confident sharing her vast knowledge of prehistoric creatures - especially after a boy informs her, "Girls can't be scientists." Mr. Tiffin to the rescue: He steers her to an exhibit featuring Dr. Brandoni Gasparini, dinosaur expert. As always, McNamara and Karas excel at telling a story that balances facts and feelings. 40 pp. Random House/Schwartz & Wade. $17.99. (Ages 4 to 8) BESTFRINTSATSKROOL Written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis. Did you know that "on planet Boborp, childrinx go to skrool"? Of course they do! This exuberant follow-up to "Best Frints in the Whole Universe" explains the ins and outs of the little aliens' raucous way of learning (with a little lunch-throwing in the mix). The language Portis has invented for these colorful characters is hilarious and easy to follow - silly perfection, and maybe even an inspiration for little linguists to make up their own. 40 pp. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. $17.99. (Ages 4 to 8) GOODBYE BRINGS HELLO By Dianne White. Illustrated by Daniel Wiseman. Starting school also means letting go of the trappings of little-kid life. This wise book bears witness to the transitions that lead up to that big one: growing out of favorite clothes, moving from trike to bike and from crayons to pencils. White ("Blue on Blue") and Wiseman ("Play This Book") keep the tone encouraging and gentle, offering a chance for even the youngest kids to indulge their nostalgia. 40 pp. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. $17.99. (Ages 3 to 7) TWIG Written and illustrated by Aura Parker. It's tough being a stick insect. You blend in easily - all too easily, as Heidi, the new girl at bug school, finds. When it comes to making friends, long, lean, woody-brown Heidi suffers, because no one can see her beyond her camouflage until the kind spider-teacher comes up with a solution (a scarf). Truth be told, there's not much to the story, but this adorable debut by Parker teems with delicate details, many of them visual puzzles. 32 pp. Simon & Schuster. $17.99. (Ages 4 to 8) MR. WOLF'S CLASS Written and illustrated by Aron Nels Steinke. This upbeat graphic novel - the beginning of a promising new series - chronicles the activities of a bustling class of fourth graders and their devoted, slightly overwhelmed teacher, Mr. Wolf. Yes, he's a wolf; the students are a host of animals, including a frog, a duck, a dog and a rabbit. Everyone has hands and feet and walks upright, though, and their problems and behavior are strikingly like their counterparts in schools for human children - only funnier. 160 pp. Scholastic/Graphix. $9.99. (Ages 6 to 10) MARIA RUSSO is the children's books editor at the Book Review.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [January 31, 2019]
Review by Booklist Review
Heidi's excitement for her first day of bug school dwindles when she is soundly ignored by her classmates and teacher, despite her efforts to participate in lessons and playground activities. Kids will surely sympathize with Heidi's plight, but they'll also be tickled by the running visual joke that Heidi is overlooked simply because she blends in with her surroundings. Heidi, an adorable stick insect with leafy pigtails, is mistaken for the classroom coatrack and rendered virtually invisible at recess, what with all the trees and twigs around. Parker's whimsical illustrations (created with watercolor, colored pencils, and pen) are full of activity and detail, and readers will enjoy hunting for Heidi in each scene. She finally snaps when a classmate tries to use her in an art project, stunning everyone with her indignant shout and excellent camouflage. Luckily, her teacher has an idea that helps Heidi stand out, and she finally gets the warm bug-school welcome she hoped for. Sweet and captivatingly illustrated, this pairs perfectly with Carson Ellis' Du Iz Tak? (2016).--Smith, Julia Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Australian newcomer Parker creates delicate ink-and-watercolor spreads of an elaborate, cheerful school for insects. Dozens of softly tinted, many-legged students (Parker is going for decorative value more than accuracy, although many of the insects are identifiable) head for Bug School among the trees of the forest. New students to any school sometimes feel invisible, but Heidi really is. She's a stick insect, and because she appears to be made out of wood in a forest school full of trees, the other students don't see her. Miss Orb, the teacher, hangs her weaving on Heidi, who looks, at that moment, just like the coat rack she's standing next to. It's not until one of the students tries to insert Heidi into an art project that Heidi explodes at last: "I'm not a twig! I'm me! I'm Heidi!" Teachers usually make a point of introducing new students to the class, but whether or not readers buy that Heidi would be overlooked for so long, they'll take pleasure in Parker's imaginative forest world, with its parades and tea parties, brimming with insect-school fun. Ages 4-8. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-This sweet story about a stick insect who blends in a little too well on her first day of school will resonate with shy readers. Heidi's twiglike body is such effective camouflage in the outdoor classroom setting, she goes unnoticed until one of her fellow students unwittingly attempts to use her as a craft supply. Once she gathers the courage to announce herself, the others realize their oversight and seek to solve the problem. They welcome her by weaving her a multicolored scarf that increases her visibility, and include her in their play from that point on. Soft watercolors with delicate lines complement the gentle tone of the story, and beautifully detailed illustrations invite readers to examine the unique patterns on each insect's wings and search for a hidden Heidi on each spread. With just a few sentences per page, the text flows smoothly and makes for an appealing storytime read-aloud. A surefire hit with budding entomologists, this book will also spark conversation about wordplay (hide and Heidi), as well as compassion, friendship, and problem-solving. VERDICT With its uplifting themes of kindness, collaboration, and inclusion, this title is a welcome addition to picture book collections.-Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA © Copyright 2018. 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 Horn Book Review
Heidi, a stick insect, is "tall and long like the twig of a tree." It's her first day at Bug School, but she blends into her surroundings so well that no one notices her. Finally, one student tries to incorporate Heidi into a weaving project, and Heidi makes her presence known. Lighthearted details in the mixed-media illustrations depict a busy classroom of insects and arachnids. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A stick insect's camouflage makes it hard for her to find friendsor, really, for them to find her. A variety of students arrive at Bug School for classes with Miss Orb, but not one notices Heidi, who is brown and thin, exactly like a twig or the class hat stand, which Miss Orb mistakes her for when she hangs up her weaving. Heidi's camouflage is so good, in fact, that she's unseen through the class counting lesson, lunch, and recess. Readers will empathize with her, her crossed arms (all four of them), hunched shoulders, and drooped face expressing her emotion clearly (if they can spy her!). It's not until Miss Orb teaches weaving and Scarlett, a ladybug, goes searching for interesting items to add to her project that Heidi (mistaken for a twig) is finally discovered. Miss Orb has the perfect welcoming activity: weaving a colorful scarf for Heidi so she's not so hidden. It's just the ticket for helping her feel part of the group. Readers may note that games with her new friends seem to emphasize what tall and slender Heidi can do for them (reach things, be a bridge, etc.) rather than what she wants to doexcept when it comes to playing hide-and-seek. Parker's watercolor, colored pencil, artline pens, and digital compositions are quite delicate and detailed, her bug school delightfully analogous to children's own. A lesson in camouflage and in welcoming new friends. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
