Why? (No! Not because I've had too much caffeine! :))
Because they're back! Perfect Picture Book Fridays are back!
How I have missed them! :)
I am looking forward to a whole new season of fantastic books and reviews, to seeing what books you all think are great and reading the ones I'm not familiar with, and to sharing all these wonderful books and resources with everyone who reads and uses picture books.
Before I post mine for today, I just want to say that I did A LOT of things this summer. Really. By anyone's reckoning it was BUSY (and for once I'm not exaggerating!) But the one thing that didn't get done was the Perfect Picture Book update. There are still books missing from the list, and I haven't finished figuring out how to make the page more user-friendly. Rest assured, however, that I am working on it, and that once I get all my peeps back to school and have a bit more time to focus on writing and work, I will get it all squared away. In the meantime, please bear with me :)
Now then! Onto the first fabulous book for fall! :)
Written By: Julie Danneberg
Illustrated By: Judy Love
Charlesbridge, March 2000, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 5-8
Themes/Topics: first day of school, emotions (feeling nervous), coping (with new situations)
Opening: "Sarah, dear, time to get out of bed," Mr. Hartwell said, poking his head through the bedroom doorway. "You don't want to miss the first day at your new school, do you?"
Brief Synopsis: It's the first day at a new school and Sarah doesn't want to get up. "I"m not going!" she says. Mr. Hartwell reminds her how much she liked her old school and assures her she'll make new friends, but he has his work cut out for him getting Sarah up and in the car. When Sarah finally arrives at school, readers are in for a fun surprise!
Links To Resources: Activity Guide, More Activities, Ideas For Use. The book makes an excellent springboard for discussion, at home or in the classroom, about how children might be feeling about starting school. Would pair nicely with The Kissing Hand and Llama Llama Misses Mama :)
Why I Like This Book: The first day of school can be tough whether you're starting at a new school or even just going back to the old one. This story addresses the concerns a child might feel about starting school with a delightful twist - Sarah turns out to be the teacher! The message that everyone - even grown-ups - can get butterflies in their stomachs about new things is reassuring. The art is warm and engaging and does a terrific job of keeping the secret of Sarah's identity until end. This is a fun book for the back-to-school time of year.
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
And now, all my Perfect Picture Book friends, please add your post-specific links to the list below so we can all come visit you and see what books you're celebrating today! Then it will be off to the library to stock up on some great weekend reading!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! And welcome back to Perfect Picture Book Fridays! :)
