Review Detail

Aside from the happy surprise ending, this is a helpful book to teach young children how to interact with others. For years, it seems like it was assumed that children just knew instrictively how to make friends; I can't think of any books like this when I was young! My own children struggled to make friends a little, since they were quiet and shy, but it seems like the need for instruction on how to make and support friendships is growing. I loved that the classmates were friendly and helpful, and provided good examples for the little boy of how he should act.

There are lots of fun activities in the classroom, and the pastel illustrations are comforting. There are lots of good details, like flower gardens, music classes, and books to be read, that make school seem like an exciting place. The classmates show a range of skin tones and body types.
I plan on reading my grandson a LOT of books about being at school so that when he finally is able to go, he will be looking forward to the experience. It's also a good idea to start teaching children how to conduct positive friendships early with books like this as well as Brozo and Deas' The Buddy Bench, Bush and Friedman's The Little Book of Friendship, Bailey and Song's A Friend for Henry, or Brooks and Ferrero's A Book About Friends.