HELLO SCHOOL!

Burris follows a class from their first day through the fall of the new school year.

Burris highlights the sights, routines, and activities of elementary school, from cubbies and new school supplies to circle time, recess, writing your name, and counting. While the book’s arc follows a typical day’s schedule, from the morning’s welcome to the afternoon’s “good-byes,” observant readers will notice from pictorial cues that it’s not all the same day. Clever design and a consistent pattern, with each spread’s topic highlighted in yellow, a few short sentences underneath, and a scattering of dialogue balloons, make it easy for children to follow along and stay engaged. “Snack time. We say thank you. We are good helpers.” And their grown-ups will be amused at how well Burris has captured the exuberance, ways of thinking, and quirks of young children: during quiet time, “Mrs. Friend, Kevin is hibernating TOO LOUD!” In the ink pen, pencil, and digital brush illustrations, the racially diverse students are round-headed, gap-toothed, expressive, and thoroughly adorable. Two sport glasses, and body type varies somewhat along with hair and skin color; Mrs. Friend is racially ambiguous, with pale beige skin and a cloud of kinky brown hair.

A solid addition to the back-to-school shelf.