Never, Not Ever! by Beatrice Alemagna translated by Jill Davis

"She is five years old with furry ears and pink wings and she knows exactly what she likes."

Pascaline is a young bat. Everyone is heading off for their first day of school but NOT Pascaline. She shrieks:

Never, not ever!

The parents try to explain "you'll learn so many things ... you'll make lots of new friends."

But Pascaline yells so loudly her parents shrivel down to the size of two peanuts. Problem solved. Pascaline can take them to school under her wing. Inside the classroom Pascaline discovers the other kids are nervous too. Trouble is her tiny parents keep joining in with the day - they sing and then complain about the food. Dad even falls into the soup. Pascaline has such a hard time controlling them. 

"Finally, school is over. Everyone gets hugs and kisses. Poor Pascaline. She has nobody to pick her up. Of course. How can your parents come and get you when they've been clinging to you for five hours?"

And now for the important question - can mum and dad come to school tomorrow?

Never, not ever!

Back to school is just a few days away here in Australia. It might be fun to share this book with a young reader who is about move from preschool to 'big school.'

Here is the French cover:

There are hundreds or even thousands of books about starting school. My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything and I have put some of our favourites into this Pinterest collection. 

Pair this with:

The Starting School list by Kitty Black illustrated by Cate James

You’ll learn where the loos are, and all about bugs.

You’ll learn a sad friend could do with a hug.

You’ll learn the best spot for sand that is slushy.

You’ll learn that tomato makes sandwiches mushy.

School begins in just over a week and so this is a PERFECT book to share TODAY. 

If you have a new child starting to Kindergarten (big school) please try to find this book. 

I especially enjoyed following the story of the different children in the class room - watch out for the little boy who sits alone and then you will smile when he finally makes a friend. 

Here is the website for Cate James. I have talked about her work in a previous post. Here is an interview with the author Kitty Black. 

I do hope this book has been entered into our CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) awards - in Early Childhood and if it has I expect to see it listed as a Notable title when they are announced on 27th February. It could/should even make the short list!

I have a Pinterest collection of Starting School books. 

If you share The Starting School list with an older child (maybe Grade 2 and up) it would be fun to compare the kindness of the older brother with the advice given in this book (1988 so out of print but it might be in a library).

Truman by Jean Reidy illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins

pensive

Truman is a small tortoise who lives with his friend Sarah. The city is filled with busy people and loud noises but Truman is peaceful and pensive and so is Sarah until the day something strange happens. Truman watches Sarah start her day in a different way - eating a huge banana, putting on a new sweater, strapping on an enormous backpack.  It was so big "thirty-two small tortoises could ride along in it - but zero tortoises did." Sarah gives Truman extra green beans - this is very puzzling and then:

"she kissed her finger and touched it to his shell and whispered 'Be Brave.' Then she left."

She left!! Truman is filled with worry. Will Sarah come back? Why did she take that big pack? And what's going on with those extra beans?

"Truman waited for Sarah to return. He waited. And waited. He waited a thousand hours - tortoise hours, that is - until he could wait no longer."

Truman knows he must catch the number 11 bus heading south. He finds a way (1,2,3) to climb out of his tank. The world outside (in Sarah's room) is huge and filled with danger but Truman keeps going. As he reaches the closed bedroom door he hears a noise. It's Sarah returning from school! Their reunion is so joyous.

You can see some of the illustrations from Truman here at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.

The word pensive appears in this story four times. What a glorious way to acquire a new word. I think Truman is an essential purchase for every school library. It is a perfect picture book.

I won't say why but this flower is especially important in the story:

The emotions of Truman are clearly conveyed and his worry is tangible … Waking Brain Cells

TRUMAN is simply a beautiful book that I recommend to teachers,parents, writers, and readers. Basically, everyone. Nerdy Book Club

This little creature has big courage, something to which small humans can relate. Horn Book

Peaceful and pensive like Truman himself, this book charms;there’s just something uplifting and wonderful about the whole package. Kirkus Star

Here are the author and illustrator web sites.  I would pair this book with Felix and Alexander:

You might also revisit the classic story - Corduroy.

Tom goes to Kindergarten by Margaret Wild illustrated by David Legge

Tuesday Treasure

How perfect is Tom's teacher. I adore her. Tom is heading off to Kindergarten and his teacher is called

Mrs Kindergarten

I should also mention she is a polar bear and Tom is a panda. Tom is excited to go to school BUT when Mum and Dad start to say goodbye Tom just cannot let go. Mrs Kindergarten says they can both stay. Everyone has a fabulous day. 

Then the next day Tom heads off to Kindergarten again but this time, even though he is happy to say goodbye, his parents don't want to leave. Mrs Kindergarten gently suggests that perhaps Daddy should go to work and Mummy might have things to do at home. Sadly Mum and Dad leave but back at work and at home they manage to have fun even without being in the classroom.

I am so sad to report this book is out of print but I would think most Primary school libraries in Australia will have a copy. I picked my mint condition copy up at a recent charity book sale for just $1. This is a perfect book to share with a young child and I am sure it is one your child will want to revisit both before starting school or preschool and once they have been along there for a few days or weeks.

We were talking in a school library recently about picture books to help with separating from parents and fears about going to school. Here are some other books on this topic:

My Brown Bear Barney by Dorothy Butler illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller

Tuesday Treasure

My Brown Bear Barney was first published in 1988 so the 21st Birthday sticker on this copy is from 2009. My Brown Bear Barney is out of print but I did notice one supplier listing a new printing due in May, 2019 although the listed ISBN is from 2011.

My Brown Bear Barney is the perfect book to read sitting side by side with a young child and it is one to enjoy reading over and over again. I certainly did this many young children. Barney is a patient friend who accompanies the little girl to the shops, the beach, on a bike ride and to a sleep over at grandmas but mum explains he cannot go to school.

"When I go to school, next year or the next, I'll take

a new school bag, some lunch, my dinosaur badge and a pencil with a rubber on the end.

But not my brown bear Barney.

My mother says that bears don't go to school.

We'll see about that!"

The accompanying illustration will make you smile. This little girl has no intention of leaving her faithful companion at home no matter where she is going.

One of the strengths of this book, written by New Zealand reading advocate Dorothy Butler, is the brilliant rhythm of the words:

Shopping - my mother, my little brother, my yellow basket, my red umbrella and my brown bear Barney.
Riding - my bike, our old dog Charlie, two apples from our tree, my gumboots and my brown bear Barney.
Grandmas - my pyjamas in a suitcase, a flower in green paper, a tasty tidbit for her cat, some carrots from my garden and my brown bear Barney.

Dorothy Butler wrote 32 books for children, she died in 2015 aged 90. There were several sequels to My Brown Bear Barney:

The simple, nicely cadenced text by the well-known New Zealand author of Babies Need Books gives the illustrator a perfect opportunity to portray the important places and things in a little girl's life--what she wears, the items named ... and more complex scenes that incorporate many more identifiable details--and always Barney himself, joining in as a good friend should. Kirkus

First Day by Margaret Wild illustrated by Kim Gamble

In the style of Clive Eats Alligators (an old favourite of mine) in First Day we meet six kids getting ready for their first day of school.  Alex's mum is also starting school and Josh the dog has plans for his day too.

On the morning of the big day Salma, Khalil, Jun, Stephen, Penny and Alex make lunches, tie on shoes, practice their counting and get dressed.  Right from the start these routines reveal important details about each child. Penny is a live wire she cannot keep still. Stephen is a worrier will he wet his pants? Salma is a confident independent girl from a large family.  Khalil loves to tie shoelaces and Jun "can't wait to learn how to count to one hundred and ten. Then a thousand, then a million, then a billion, then a trillion!"

As the day progresses the children travel to school in various ways, meet their teacher Mrs Manoli and experience their classroom routines.   On each page Kim Gamble shows happy children at play learning inside and outside.  One cute idea is the way each page number has a symbol for example on page 5 when everyone is preparing for school there is a camera.

Margaret Wild is a master story teller and I appreciate the way she uses 'big words' such as sympathetic, gazes, vanishes, impressed and hurtling.  I also appreciate the patience of Mrs Manoli - this is sure to be a great year for all of these children even for the very bouncy Penny.

This is an older book published in 1998. I am reading some of our Australian IBBY Honour books from past years right now in preparation for an exciting event to be held in Canberra in October 2018.  The IBBY Honour book citation for First Day says : A gentle book that deals with this all-important occasion with perception and skill.

You will find some more starting school books on this list.