Mae's First Day of School

June 4, 2018
Mae insists that school is a no-go for her: “What if the other kids didn’t like her, and what if she was the only one who didn’t know how to write, and what if she missed her mother?” She hides in a big tree by the school door and is soon joined on a branch by like-minded girl Rosie and then by “tall lady” Ms. Pearl—whom, readers will quickly surmise, is none other than Mae and Rosie’s teacher. But instead of coaxing the girls down, Ms. Pearl folds her arms stubbornly and announces her intention to stay in the tree, too: “What if the kids don’t like me? Or what if I forget how to spell Tuesday? Or what if I miss my cat?” Berube (Hannah and Sugar) is an astute and funny portraitist of children’s anxieties, and the first day of school is tailor-made for her talents. Ages 3–7.

June 1, 2018
There's nothing wishy-washy about Mae: She is "not going" to school!Despite her parents' best efforts, all Mae sees is "the things that could go wrong." The other kids might not like her, they all might know how to write (she does not), and she might miss her mother. As soon as she gets to school, she climbs a tree. Maybe she could live there. She's soon joined by Rosie, who is equally determined not to go to school: Other kids might not play with her, she might be asked to read (she doesn't know how yet), and she might miss her dad. Then Ms. Pearl climbs up, explaining that she's not going to school, either: The kids might not like her, she might "forget how to spell Tuesday," and she might miss her cat. Taking comfort from one another, the three descend to go to school. Berube's story takes its protagonist's fears seriously, and even though young readers are likely to anticipate the story's outcome, its respect for their emotions is clear. Repetition and patterning will help children participate in the telling and anticipate what will happen next. In the bright and splashy illustrations, Mae is depicted with pale skin and a thatch of black hair; Rosie has light brown skin and brown pigtails; Ms. Pearl has brown skin and a poof of tightly curled brown hair.A sweet affirmation of jitters and comfort in numbers. (Picture book. 4-6)

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August 1, 2018

PreS-K-When Mae wakes up on the first day of school she announces to her parents that she will not be going. Her unrelenting parents get her out of the house and all the way to the schoolyard; but the moment her mother's back is turned, Mae makes her escape up a tree. Sitting there in the shady branches she considers never going to school, maybe even never leaving the tree. She is quite surprised when another small person named Rosie climbs up and announces that she will not be going to school either. The two share some cookies and it becomes clear that they're afraid of the same things. It takes the arrival of a third unexpected tree climber, a tall lady named Ms. Pearl, to convince them all to venture into kindergarten. The text is lighthearted but realistic and the mixed media illustrations show a bright, beautiful day while Mae's prominent scowl and obstinate expression contrasts excellently with her mother's happy exuberance. Best of all, the story doesn't trivialize Mae and Rosie's fears and takes time to affirm the bravery necessary to take a big step such as going to school for the first time. VERDICT Reassuring and silly, this is a welcome addition to most collections.-Laken Hottle, Providence Community Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2018
Preschool-G On the first day of school, Mae announces, I'm not going. Though her mother points out benefits such as long, wild recesses, Mae dwells on her fears. When they arrive at school, Mae climbs a tree, determined to stay there. Another girl joins her, and then a tall woman. Each has first-day jitters for the same reasons: the kids might not like them! They might make mistakes! They might miss home! Then they reflect that they like one another and that school is a place for learning new things. Reassured, the girls and their teacher enter the school together. While children reluctant to start school may feel unspoken anxiety, this reassuring narrative gives the characters time to express the specific fears, consider them, and dispel them. Rather childlike in its simplicity, freshness, and direct approach, the appealing mixed-media artwork uses strong lines to define the characters and settings, while color washes brighten the scenes and crayon-like marks add texture. A reassuring, gently amusing picture book for children anticipating (or remembering) their first day of school.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2019
It's Mae's first day of school, but she's "not going." She hides in a schoolyard tree and before long, another little girl and then teacher Ms. Pearl climb up with similar fears, which gives them all the confidence to go inside. This sweet twist on the perennial first-day-of-school theme reassures readers with its textual repetition and the illustrations' soft lines and pastel hues.

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