Sunday, January 29, 2017

PICTURE BOOK - School's First Day of School by Adam Rex

Illustrated by Christian Robinson
2016, Roaring Brook Press
HC $17.99
32 pgs.
Goodreads rating: 4.17 - 1597 ratings
My rating: 3
Endpapers:  a birds-eyeish view of a concrete playground with various white-line-painted games being played by kids
Illustrations: Acrylic paint and collage, very simple, lots of white
1st line/s:  "That summer, they dug up the big field, and poured the foundation, and set brick on top of brick until they'd built a school"

My comments:  Many people had talked about this being a possibility for the Caldecott, which surprises me since that's an award for illustrations.  The story and illustrations do well together, but I'm not sure whether the illustrations would be of Caldecott level....though I usually don't agree with the award choices. (He did win the Caldecott last year! Shows how much I know or agree!) The story, though simple, is sweet and will engage kids well.  And no mention of why it's named Frederick Douglass Elementary, which would have been nice even if it is geared towards kindergarten kids... A great example of anthropomorphism that is not an animal.
Goodreads:  It's the first day of school at Frederick Douglass Elementary and everyone's just a little bit nervous, especially the school itself. What will the children do once they come? Will they like the school? Will they be nice to him?
     The school has a rough start, but as the day goes on, he soon recovers when he sees that he's not the only one going through first-day jitters.

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