MY FIRST DAY AT NURSERY SCHOOL

A worried little girl faces her first day at nursery school with a frown. Flintoft’s full-bleed watercolors—crisply lined in fine, black ink—show mother and child parting and the teacher leading the girl into an inviting classroom. “I want my mommy,” the child says anxiously. Flintoft varies the pacing as the girl explores her new environment. On the next spread, for example, a trio of vignettes shows her playing with a tea set, her mouth turned up in a smile; however, she soon repeats a part of her frightened refrain: “I want my . . . ” she says. Edwards accurately reflects the emotional life—and the attention span—of a preschooler by quickly alternating between playful scenes and ever-shortening lamentations. By the end of the day, the child has been so busy painting, gluing, making music, and more that she’s surprised when her mother arrives to take her home. “But I do not want to go home . . . ” she says, plainly having changed her mind about nursery school after recalling the day’s events. The clever closing mimics the opener and makes the transformation complete. A welcome follow-up to Edwards’s My Brother Sammy (an award-winner in Britain) and a noteworthy debut for Flintoft. (Picture book. 2-6)