I Love My Teacher!

PreS-Gr 1–Following in the perky footsteps of earlier entries in the series (I Love Pi nk, I Love Cake, I Love My Tu tu, and I Love My Grandma), Gilbert adds another celebratory ode to the life of her joyous character. The first-person narrator of this story, who is white, brings effusive excitement to every stage of her school day—from home departure to class dismissal, this girl is thrilled by every experience, and her happiness will become infectious with big and little readers alike. Unten’s illustrations, reminiscent of the cheerful advertising layouts of the 1950s and 1960s, perfectly complement Gilbert’s bubbly prose and show the protagonist approaching reading, writing, painting, counting, and telling time with curiosity and optimism. The character’s path as a lifelong learner comes full circle when we see her applying what she has been taught and modeling herself as a teacher at home with her all-too-eager pets. In a heartwarming display, the character demonstrates that not only is school a wonderful place to be, but that a teacher is a wonderful person to aspire to be, as well.