Hello School!

June 1, 2018
Burris follows a class from their first day through the fall of the new school year. Burris highlights the sights, routines, and activities of elementary school, from cubbies and new school supplies to circle time, recess, writing your name, and counting. While the book's arc follows a typical day's schedule, from the morning's welcome to the afternoon's "good-byes," observant readers will notice from pictorial cues that it's not all the same day. Clever design and a consistent pattern, with each spread's topic highlighted in yellow, a few short sentences underneath, and a scattering of dialogue balloons, make it easy for children to follow along and stay engaged. "Snack time. We say thank you. We are good helpers." And their grown-ups will be amused at how well Burris has captured the exuberance, ways of thinking, and quirks of young children: during quiet time, "Mrs. Friend, Kevin is hibernating TOO LOUD!" In the ink pen, pencil, and digital brush illustrations, the racially diverse students are round-headed, gap-toothed, expressive, and thoroughly adorable. Two sport glasses, and body type varies somewhat along with hair and skin color; Mrs. Friend is racially ambiguous, with pale beige skin and a cloud of kinky brown hair.A solid addition to the back-to-school shelf. (Picture book. 3-5)

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June 4, 2018
With child-friendly simplicity, Burris (Five Green and Speckled Frogs) offers a gentle overview of the first day of school for a class of young, ethnically diverse children. Enthusiastic phrases printed on small banners on each spread mark the transitions from one activity to another, from start-of-day introductions and circle time through snack time, counting, nature studies, recess, and more until finally, the kids “say our goodbyes.” On each spread, text bubbles show the students’ reactions (“It’s cookie time!” “My daddy’s a cookie monster.” “Hmmm, which one should I pick?”); these scraps of enthusiastic dialogue help keep the story firmly rooted in the students’ immediate experience, as do the creative details in the uncluttered illustrations. Even the view from the school window resembles a child’s drawing, with its stylized, pointy sun and tree covered in oversize red circle apples. Lively and reassuring, this is a strong choice for helping new students set first-day expectations. Ages 3–5.

August 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-Burris spotlights the newness of the first day of school in this fun-loving book. A group of children enters their classroom and takes note of the important details about where they will spend their days, such as the cubbies for their backpacks and name cards on their desks. The author enumerates special classroom activities, covering circle time, snack time, and quiet time. The humor is spot-on. One child comments during snack time that his daddy is a "cookie monster" and another child, during quiet time, remarks, "Kevin is hibernating TOO LOUD!" Burris's signature artwork is rendered using ink pens, pencils, and digital brushes featuring minimal backgrounds and cheerful expressions on the characters' faces. VERDICT Sure to be appreciated by Burris's young fans, this is a perfect read-aloud for the start of school.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2019
In this sweet introduction to school, a diverse set of young students greets each new lesson and activity with a level of excitement that's charming without being cloying. Each spread begins with a simple highlighted exclamation or declaration ("Everything is new!"; "Learning our letters"), and the illustrations, created with pen, pencil, and digital brushes, depict believable preschool/kindergarten scenes with characters talking in cartoony word bubbles.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)