ON OUR WAY WITH MR. JAY

The first in a new series shines a spotlight on a fixture of many students’ school experiences: the bus driver.

Wordless spreads introduce Mr. Jay, who starts his morning by taking public transit. With breakfast in hand, Mr. Jay inspects his own vehicle—School Bus 3—“from hood to tread.” After he establishes that all is in tip-top shape, his route begins. The bus travels across all manner of terrain, stopping at various houses to let students on. But, amid twists and turns, can Mr. Jay pick up all 18 young passengers and make it to school before the bell chimes? The ever-present clock makes the passengers nervous, but Mr. Jay is on it. Despite a few surprises—from a sickly student to a mishap with a diorama—Mr. Jay repeatedly comforts the children with a consistent “That’s okay!” Wallace’s text echoes his statements with “We’re on our way!” An unexpected reveal at the end of the workday makes clear that bus driving runs in Mr. Jay’s family. The expressive, full-color illustrations depict students who vary in skin tone. Heder’s portrayal of long-haired, pale-skinned Mr. Jay in a safety vest makes for a delightfully jovial archetype. Speech bubbles effectively give voice to the large cast of characters without detracting from the engaging rhyme scheme.

A route worth taking—and a gift for classrooms everywhere.