Get Ready for School

June 15, 2023
School staff anticipate elementary school students' arrival in an idyllic anthropomorphic animal world. The elephant principal cheerfully prepares activities for the upcoming school year, while a mouse secretary scurries to test the PA system and file mail, but even with many tasks out of the way, "There's more to do" for all the helpers in the red brick building. A joyful color scheme helps convey the enthusiasm of the school's staff as they ready the library, gymnasium, and classrooms for fresh learning. It feels like the crew are assembling a big party, which will prompt students to reflect on all the efforts that go into making their school days happen. Young or newer pupils may even find themselves getting excited instead of jittery when they think about their first days. There is a just-right amount of urgency in the efficient prose, which at times reads more like a checklist. "Exercise balls. Board games. Sensory bins," reads the text as readers see vignettes of physical, speech, and occupational therapists (a caterpillar, an owl, and a walrus, respectively) diligently tending to their responsibilities. Though the illustrations have a classic, Richard Scarry feel, a Wi-Fi kerfuffle makes clear this is a modern school. A bustling cross section of the school in action offers a delightful seek-and-find opportunity. Adults can use this book to spark conversations with kids about their own schools or to simply introduce them to the idea of attending school for the first time. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Energetic, instructive, and endearing. (Picture book. 4-6)

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June 26, 2023
Nolan spotlights the labor that makes a school run in this nuts-and-bolts narrative, which encourages appreciation for tasks that occur before the bell rings. Neradova’s sunny scenes cast varied animals as school staff. Following spread-opening noun triplets (“Office. Computer. Telephone”), simple prose encompasses bus drivers; cafeteria workers; crossing guards; physical, speech, and occupational therapists; teachers; and others as they each do their thing (“Tap. Tap. Tap. The principal types the morning announcements”). The morning unfolds predictably until a moment of drama arrives when the Wi-Fi goes out (“Will students be able to learn?”). Luckily, a furry technology specialist gets the place back online just in time for the arrival of pupils—a cheery conclusion to this bright-eyed portrait of the individuals who make school happen for students. Ages 4–8.