A Day at School

PreS-K—The holidays are over, and Mom takes her three children shopping for school supplies and shoes. She also has their pictures taken for their ID cards at a three-minute photo booth. The family's preparations on the first day of school are shown in 15 spot illustrations, four of which are unnecessarily captioned (e.g., "brushing hair"). Dad walks the two older children to school while Mom takes the baby to daycare in her stroller. Several vignettes show the youngsters meeting their classmates, acclimating to their classrooms, having lunch, and (in the baby's case) taking a nap. After school, a babysitter picks up the older siblings and they share a snack. The book ends with a spread of Mom and Dad silently watching their slumbering children. The busy pictures crowded with everyday objects are reminiscent of Richard Scarry's books, but without the visual humor. There is very little text, making this more of a concept book than a story. Prereaders may enjoy looking over the pages and identifying the objects shown, but better "first day of school" books are available.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT