Turkey goes to school

PreS-Gr 2--The fifth installment of "Turkey Trouble" finds Farmer Jake's animals practicing their school skills in the barnyard--writing, counting, and reading. Their plan is to attend the first day of school with Max and Millie, the kids on the farm. "Farm Days" is the school's first weekly learning theme and they are certain they will be welcome visitors. But it isn't that easy. They get kicked off the bus. They hitch a ride to school where they are refused entry. Turkey is variously disguised as a backpack, book, soccer ball, and a lunch lady, in an attempt for acceptance, all to no avail. When Turkey dresses as Farmer Jake, the farm animals are finally allowed to stay for their first--and last--day of school. Rendered in cartoony watercolors, the story suffers from awkward puns. The theme of exclusion and nonacceptance is frankly unsettling and unfunny. Some school children and the principal have darker skin tones, but the white characters are the protagonists and have most of the speaking parts. VERDICT This iteration of the series doesn't live up to the charm of the first amusing title, and has a confusing message of rejection and ostracism.--Rita Christensen, Orem P.L., UT

Turkey is excited and ready for the first day of school--but will they let the farm animals in? The farm children, Max and Millie, both White, are "superexcited" for the first day of school. The farm animals have heard all about it, and they are excited too--especially Turkey, who drills the other animals on their school skills as the big day approaches. But when the school bus arrives, the animals are told to stay at the farm. They hitch a ride in a pickup and spend the whole day devising different plans to get inside the school building. Turkey tries disguising himself as a backpack, a book, a cafeteria worker, and even a soccer ball, but he is always discovered and sent out. Finally, the animals learn how to use the first-week-of-school theme, "Farm Days," to their advantage. The text is full of silly puns and animal sounds that liven up the reading. The animals' outsider perspective on the classroom full of children having an exciting day of learning and fun is an entertaining thought experiment for young children, though animal lovers may balk at the exclusion of the hopeful barn dwellers. The watercolor-and-pencil illustrations feature quirky characters with wide eyes and expressive features and a relatively diverse class of children. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A cute twist on both the farm and school themes. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.