My First Day at Nursery School
reSchool-Vibrant watercolor and pen-and-ink artwork and an accessible text make this picture book an adequate addition to first-day-of-school collections. After her mother drops her off and says a rather quick good-bye, the young narrator has only one thought: "I want my mommy." On the next page, she begins to explore the classroom, noticing that there is a playhouse with a blue tea set, pots, and spoons. Then she thinks about her mother again, but this time, she says, "I want my-." As the day progresses, this refrain becomes shorter and shorter, reflecting the child's growing interest in the activities and objects that surround her and showing that she is becoming comfortable with her new environment. Finally, when her mother arrives to pick her up, the girl declares, "I want to stay at nursery school." The appealing paintings depict a busy classroom, complete with inviting play areas and a multicultural cast of smiling playmates. Alternating between double- and full-page spreads and smaller vignettes, the varied layout keeps the action moving and reflects the frenetic energy level of preschoolers at work. The warm palette combined with the child's contagious enthusiasm will help to lift the mood of children reluctant to face that daunting first day.Joy Fleishhacker, formerly at School Library JournalCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.