Too Shy for Show and Tell

Too Shy for Show and Tell by Beth Bracken
Illustrated by Jennifer Bell
2011

     Sam was a very quiet little boy who kept to himself at school. "Nobody knew much about him."  He loved trucks, chocolate cake, and dogs, but nobody knew it.  The one thing everybody knew about Sam was that he didn't talk much.  "Sam really didn't like talking in front of people, which is why Sam hated show-and-tell." So when his teacher announced that they would be having one at the end of the week, Sam got scared.  He was so nervous, he felt sick and wanted to stay home. But his mom told him he needes to go school.  Once at school, he tried to get out of it by telling his teacher he'd forgotten to bring something to show.  As he sat on the rug watching his classmates share their items, Sam tried to gather up courage.  And then it's his turn.  He didn't faint or cried, and no one laughed.  Today, everyone in class learned a little bit more about Sam, who's already thinking about his next show-and-tell.
     Too Shy for Show and Tell is a sweet story to share with the pre-k and lower elementary classrooms, as well as with the shy kids at home.  The illustrations by Bell are tender and welcoming (the kids are depicted as zoo animals and Sam is an adorable giraffe wearing a stripped turtle neck).  I got to admit that the book had me at its dedication when it quoted The Smiths: "Shyness is nice, but shyness can stop you" ('from doing all the things in life you'd like to').  So "ask me, ask me, ask me," if I liked it.

Singing Away the Dark

Singing Away the Dark by Caroline Woodward
Illustrated by Julie Morstad
2010

     When she was six, Caroline Woodward had to walk a mile in the dark and through the woods to get to her school bus stop.  From this memory, she has written a beautiful story.  On a windy winter's day, she leaves her house when it's still dark outside and heads downhill trekking through the snow.  As she gets farther away from her home, she's frightened by the "creaks and groans and hoots and howls " that creep into her ears.  But she has learned how to deal with those fears, she takes a breath and sings until the darkness disappears.  "I sing for sun, I sing for strength, I sing for warm toes, too."  She makes it to her school bus, ready to start the school day.  "When I was six and walked a mile and sang the dark away."
     Singing Away the Dark is a very special book, a lovely find.  The illustrations are beautiful and find a perfect balance of darks and lights to create the feeling of walking in the dark through the white snow. I love the detail of the little cardinal that shows up in a couple of pages adding a splash of red over a white landscape.  The text rhymes but never feels to be doing so intentionally, which is a great thing...it just has this lovely lyrical rhythm to it.  A great read aloud for the classroom and a perfect text to use as a sample of exploding the moment when writing a memoir.

Bedhead

Bedhead by Margie Palatini
Illustrated by Jack E. Davis
2000

     Oliver woke up and brushed his teeth.  Then he looked at his reflexion in the mirror and was shocked to find he had a horrible case of bedhead.  There was hair going in every direction, up, down, left, right...there was even one "clump of hair way at the back of his head that looked just like a cat's coughed-up fur ball."  His mom, dad and sister tried to help him, but no matter what they tried, nothing worked.  After many attempts to get his hair under control, Oliver ends up putting on his baseball cap and heading to school.  The baseball cap would have been the perfect solution, except for the fact that he has to take it off as soon as he gets to school because today is...picture day.
     Bedhead is a great read aloud.  The hilarious illustrations, the repetition of phrases, and the onomatopoeias, will keep the kids entertained and coming back for multiple reads.

I Am Too Absolutely Small for School

I Am Too Absolutely Small for School (Charlie and Lola) by Lauren Child
2003

     Charlie has a little sister, Lola.  She's almost big enough to go to school, but Lola doesn't think so. "I am absolutely not Big. I am still quite small."  Charlie tries to convince her, to explain to her all the things she'll learn when she goes to school: she'll learn to count, read and write.  Lola always comes up with counter arguments, like not needing to learn how to write because she likes to talk on the telephone..."It's more friendly and straightaway."  Or not wanting to learn how to read because she has all her books memorized and if she can't remember them, she "can just make them up."  Lola was really worried that  she wouldn't have any friends at school. But Charlie finally convinces Lola by telling her that Soren Lorensen (Lola's invisible friend) will be going to school too.  Worried that her friend Soren would be too nervous to be alone, Lola decides that she will go to school to make sure he's OK and keep him company.
     The reason why I love I Am Too Absolutely Small for School (Charlie and Lola) and all the other books in the Charlie and Lola series is because of the relationship between the two siblings.  There's no competition between Charlie and Lola.  Charlie is loving and understanding; a great big brother.  Lola is funny and clever.  The Illustrations and the way the text is presented (curving, spiraling and spreading out all over the pages) makes it a lot of fun to read and share.  I really like the way Lola's invisible friend comes alive in the pages as a see-through character.  Great book to share at home and as a first day of school read aloud.

Jake Starts School

Jake Starts School by Michael Wright

     Jake woke up his first day of school with his dog Fred licking his eyes. He got ready and put on his favorite shirt. His mom packed his lunch bag and included two heart-shaped cookies for dessert. His parents drove him to school and everything was going according to plan, that is until Jake froze in front of his classroom door and refused to walk inside. "He grabbed his parents at the knees and would not let them go." His teacher, his parents, and even the school nurse, tried to pry Jake off but to no avail. The teacher decided that the only thing to do was for them (Jake, his mom and dad) to come to class. The three of them had to share one seat, and with his arms wraped around his parents's legs, Jake couldn't paint, or play with other kids, or ride the tricycle, or climg the jungle gym. It was almost the end of the school day and his teacher told the class that she was going to read aloud a book about a dog named Fred. From the back of the room, Jake raised his hand and said "I have a dog. His name is Fred." His teacher smiled and asked Jake to join her in the front of the classroom and hold the book for her while she read it. "That's when Jake let his parents go and felt some relief." The more she read, the more Jake loosened up and "inside, he felt good." And when the bell rang he gave his teacher his last cookie.
     Jake Starts School is a great book to read aloud to kids who are about to go to their first day of school. It's funny and tender. I love the teacher's character and the whole page bright illustrations are delightful. Great back to school book