Sammy and Sunny's first day of school

It's day one of kid school for Sammy, who's portrayed with brown skin, and day one of puppy school for family dog Sunny. After each drop-off, mild anxiety follows: Sammy looks a little lost amid the cubbies, and Sunny howls a mournful "AAAWOOOOOOO." But both have calm, welcoming teachers, and beat-by-beat text from LaCour and crisp watercolor-washed ink drawings by Lilly depict lessons and routines that are relatively easy to embrace. As Sammy sits through circle time, Sunny digs with the other pooches; while Sammy learns to write their name at the top of each page, Sunny learns to sit and stay. A fanciful conceptual turn feels abrupt following the otherwise realistic story, but gentle developmental parallels offer a measure of sweetly comic reassurance for first-day jitters. Secondary characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3--6. (July)

Whether you've got two legs or four, first days can be awfully exciting! It's here! Today is Sammy and Sunny's first day of school! For Sammy, a brown-skinned girl living with her light-skinned mama, that means kindergarten. Meanwhile, Sunny, their spotted pooch, is off to dog-training class. Girl and pet alike undergo similar experiences, their days mirroring one another. Their arrivals are accompanied by a sense of loneliness that's quickly alleviated as they throw themselves into various activities--some similar (like roll call), others quite different (Sammy listens to storytime, while Sunny digs in the dirt). Mind you, not everything goes smoothly: Sammy accidentally sprays herself while drinking from the water fountain, while Sunny's terrified when his trainer turns on the vacuum cleaner. Overall, though, the two have a great time, and the day's over before they even know it. And tomorrow? Well…maybe tomorrow they'll switch schools! Though LaCour acknowledges her protagonists' fears and concerns over the sheer newness of things, on the whole, starting school is a positive experience. The surprise ending, in which Sammy and Sunny switch schools, is left open-ended and could be taken literally or as pure fantasy. The bright, upbeat watercolor art abounds in movement and friendly faces all around. The universality of the first day of school transcends species in this gentle aid for newbies.(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.