Starting school: on the first day of school, some children are eager, some are anxious, but all will relish settling in with a good story that mirrors their school experiences - Booktalk - The Little School Bus - Countdown to Kindergarten - Sweet Briar Goes to School - Elizabeti's School - Give Maggie a Chance - Read Anything Good Lately - Clever Lollipop - First Day in Grapes - Almost Late to School and More School Poems - Dork on the Run - Sahara Special - Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems - Great books and creative activities to go along with them - Children's Review - Book Review - Brief Review

Instructor, August, 2003 by Judy Freeman

THE LITTLE SCHOOL BUS (Gr. PreK-1)

By Carol Roth; illustrated by Pamela Paperone. North-South, 2002; 32 pages; $14.95. Riding on the school bus are a goat in his coat, a pig in a wig, a fox with socks, and more animals, all pulled together for a jaunty, cumulative rhyming trip that you can chant or, if you can think of a tune, sing together.

ACTIVITY: Use cloze as you read, so children can recall and chant the rhyming words; e.g., "a quick, quick--"(chick). Rhymers can think of more animal rhymes and draw their animals getting on the school bus.

COUNTDOWN TO KINDERGARTEN

(Gr. PreK-2) By Alison McGhee; illustrated by Harry Bliss. Harcourt, 2002; 32 pages; $16. "I am in BIG trouble," obsesses an about-to-be-kindergartner who has heard about Rule #1: "You have to know how to tie your shoes. By yourself. Without asking for help. Ever." The narrator tries hiding her shoes, throwing away the laces, and even putting cat food in them. What if she has to wear a sign that says VELCRO GIRL?

ACTIVITY: Ask students to recall what they thought the school rules would be versus what they really are. Make a list of rules for your classroom. Make a chart: "What I can do now." "What I can't do yet." And help everyone learn to tie those shoes!

SWEET BRIAR GOES TO SCHOOL

(Gr. PreK-1) By Karma Wilson; illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Dial, 2003; 32 pages; $16.99.Though her adoring parents think she is the sweetest thing, Sweet Briar is a skunk, and smells like one. On her first day at school, her classmates, fearful of her distinctive aroma, dive under their desks. They taunt and tease her and no one will play with her. When her worst tormentor is snatched up by a wolf skulking nearby, Sweet Briar bravely follows her mama's rule: "To keep the wolves and bears away, lift your tail and spray, spray, spray!"

ACTIVITY: In this book, Sweet Briar used her natural defenses to triumph over her peers' rejection. Ask children if they have ever smelled a skunk's singular perfume. Discuss the natural defenses other animals employ and compose rhyming couplets about each creature's talents.

ELIZABETI'S SCHOOL (Gr. K-2)

By Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen; illustrated by Christy Hale. Lee & Low,

2002; 32 pages; $16.95. On Elizabeti's first day at school, she plays machaura (a game like jacks but played with stones), dances to drum playing at recess, and learns to count to five (moja, mbili, tatu, nne, tano). Back home, she makes Mama and Baba proud by showing them all she has learned. Soft watercolors transport us to her home in Tanzania, Africa. Children will be intrigued to compare and contrast their school and Elizabeti's.

ACTIVITY: Children can write and illustrate a description of a typical day in their classroom. They can fold drawing paper in half and on one side draw a picture of classroom life, and on the other, what might be happening at home.

GIVE MAGGIE A CHANCE (Gr. K-2)

By Frieda Wishinsky ; illustrated by Dean Griffiths. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2002; 32 pages; $15.95. Shy orange tabby cat Maggie is good at reading, but when she stands up in front of the whole class, she's too nervous to even whisper. For show-off gray-and-white cat Kimberly, reading is so easy, and she taunts Maggie and Maggie's pal Sam, who stutters. Defending Sam from sneering Kimberly gives Maggie the impetus to ignore her detractor and stand up for herself. Compare Maggie's dilemma with Sarie's in Once Upon a Time by Niki Daly (Farrar, 2002), a heartwarming picture book about a South African girl who hates to read aloud in class.

ACTIVITY: Discuss: How did Maggie work up the courage to read aloud even though it was so hard for her? Have you ever done something you were afraid to do? How did you do it? Volunteers can act out the ending as Maggie comes up to the front of the room and reads aloud a page to the rest of the class.

READ ANYTHING GOOD LATELY?

(Gr. K-2) By Susan Allen and Jane Lindeman; illustrated by Vicky Enright. Millbrook, 2003; 32 pages; $14.95. In an alliterative alphabet that champions nonstop reading, a blonde-haired, bespectacled girl pores over an atlas at the airport, a biography in bed, comic books around the campfire, and finally the zodiac at the zoo. The cozy, comfy, detail-filled illustrations will inspire listeners to think of new locales for indulging in print.

ACTIVITY: The last page is a perfect writing and illustrating prompt: "And what have you read lately?" Rev up your summer reading conversation with a freewheeling recounting of children's favorite books and the places they go to read them.

CLEVER LOLLIPOP (Gr. 1-4) By Dick King-Smith; illustrated by Jill Barton. Candlewick, 2003. 143 pages; $15.99. Princess Penelope is no longer selfish, rude, and spoiled, thanks to the intervention of her talented pig, Lollipop, whom we met in Lady Lollipop (Candlewick, 2001). So now it's time for her to get some proper schooling. Johnny Skinner, Lollipop's trainer and Penelope's friend, would also like to learn to read. First the king and queen hire a governess, but she's none too fond of pigs. Then when Lollipop takes ill, Johnny calls in Collie Cob, the Conjuror--a funny little man who cures the pig and stays on to become the children's beloved tutor.