Tiny T. Rex and the first-day oopsies A back-to-school book

PreS-K--Tiny T. Rex is going to a new school, and he is feeling both prepared and nervous. Readers follow him through his first day, as he confronts new tasks and routines. When Tiny makes mistakes, like squirting his juice box on a friend and tooting his instrument when he was asked to woot it, he worries he is not ready for school. With support and assurance from his teacher, friends, and family, Tiny understands that mistakes are part of learning. Confidence restored, Tiny feels big, smart, and ready for school. Through clear and simple text, Stutzman tells Tiny's story from a child's point-of-view and addresses common first day of school fears. Fleck's illustrations, rendered in pencil and then colored in digitally, use primary and secondary colors to create inviting illustrations that are easy to read. VERDICT Young children will relate to Tiny and his first day of school jitters, while being reassured that school is a place to make mistakes and grow.--Sarah Pousty

A diminutive T. Rex's first day at a new school is plagued by "oopsies." The creature spills juice, struggles with a pencil sharpener, and makes a large errant mark on a self-portrait, among other mistakes. The young dinosaur becomes discouraged, and Teacher provides reassurance about learning from errors. The dino's internal dialogue feels a bit unnatural-sounding at times ("School can also be tiring. It's important to stay hydrated"), but the pencil and digital illustrations are bright and add some levity. (c) Copyright 2025. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A young dinosaur bravely navigates the first day of school. Tiny T. Rex, an irresistibly sweet green dino with two upturned teeth, a pair of itty-bitty arms, and a fetching red bow tie, sets off with a positive outlook and a disproportionately huge backpack. Though eager to start school, Tiny makes a series of discouraging mistakes ("oopsies"), from playing the wrong note during music class to spilling paint while working on a self-portrait. Bolstered by some reassurance from Teacher and an encouraging note from Mom (tucked into Tiny's lunch), our chipper hero makes it through the day and heads home, excited to come back tomorrow. Fleck's illustrations play up the protagonist's diminutive stature at every turn, to humorous effect. The other dinos tower comically over Tiny, and even the young dinosaur's possessions (fork, toothbrush, musical instrument) are much too large. While Tiny's world is at times overwhelming, it's also vibrant and welcoming, filled with brightly colored, kindly dinosaurs, like BFF Pointy. Eschewing contractions in Stutzman's text, Tiny's sweetly earnest first-person narration sets the perfect tone for readers transitioning into preschool or kindergarten. Tiny models resilience, relying on the support of loved ones and finding creative ways to cope with a too-big environment. It's a comforting reminder that new experiences aren't always easy, but they're certainly worth it. Small but mighty, like its determined protagonist.(Picture book. 4-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.