By Tom Brenner, Illustrated by Jen Hill ( Candlewick Press – 2023 )
From cooler mornings and cicadas buzzing to back-to-school shopping and first-day pictures, there’s so much to look forward to in this upbeat and lyrical ode to the start of a new school year – perfect for returning students and first-timers alike. >>> Jen Hill’s books in SHI collection.
By Adrea Theodore, Illustrated by Erin K. Robinson ( Neal Porter Books – 2022 )
Life can be hard for the only brown girl in a classroom full of white students. When the teacher talks about slavery, she can feel all of her classmates staring at her. When they talk about civil rights, she is the one that other kids whisper about on the playground. In those moments, she wants to slip away or seep into the ground, and she wonders, “Is that all you see when you look at me?” What really matters is what she sees when she looks at herself. She is reflection of the courage, strength, intelligence, and creativity that’s been passed down from generation to generation through her ancestors.>>> Inspired by her daughter’s experience in school as well as the authors’ own experience.
One morning, Jonah decided to become ruler of the playgroud. Everyone pinkie promised to obey king Jonah’s rules…. Everyone except for Lennox, because she wanted to rule the playground, too. This hilariously deadpan tale of playground politics is gloriously rendered by author and illustrator Joseph Kuefler.
Henry and Bea have always been inseparable…until one day Henry suddenly stops talking to Bea. He won’t chat with her in class, and he won’t sit with her at lunch. Bea can tell something’s going on, and she’s determined to find out what it is. Then, during a class field trip to a farm, Henry finds something…It’s an old cat collar that makes it impossible for him to keep his feelings inside anymore. And even though it’s hard for them both to accept the death of his cat, Bea is there for Henry, as his best friend, no matter what. The author and illustrator, Jessixa Bagley comes a realistic and ultimately uplifting portrayal of the challenges of childhood friendship.
Musa’s feeling nervous about his first day of school. When he meets classmates Moises, Mo, and Kevin, he’s not sure they’ll have much in common. But over the course of the year, they learn all about one another and become the best of friends. In this charming story of friendship, family traditions, and sharing, children will see how celebrating our differences can bring us together. >>> On the last pages, additional information about four holidays presented in this book. >>>>Rahele Jomepour Bell’s books in SHI collection.
From circle time to the lunch time, these kids are cheering, shouting, and chanting their way through the school day. Some students may be nervous in the beginning, while others jump right in, but one thing’s for sure : They are all in it together! Join in on this joyful, interactive celebration of school, friendship, and community.>>>Meg Fleming’s books and Lucy Ruth Cummins’s books in SHI collection.
サークルタイムからランチタイムまで学校での一日中、自分たちのやり方で生徒達は元気をはじかせ、叫び合い、連呼し合っている。ある生徒は初めは少し緊張しているかも知れないし、一方すぐに慣れてしまう生徒達もいる。でも、一つ確かなことは、皆が一体となっていること！これは、楽しくて、学校と友情とコミュニティーを謳歌する躍動的な絵本である。＞＞＞SHIコレクションにある Meg Flemingの作品 と Lucy Ruth Cumminsの作品。
When Ms. Underwood asks if anyone wants to help Kyle, Zahra always volunteers. She loves spending time with Kyle – he’s creative and generous, and he makes the funniest jokes at lunch. But when some of Zahra’s classmates start teasing her for helping him, she ends making choices she regrets. This book is a gentle, sensitive portrait of reaching out, facing peer pressure, and learning from mistakes, and will open discussions about choosing kindness in the classroom and beyond.
Election Day has arrived and it’s time to vote for a new class pet! Will this class choose a hedgehog, lizard, hamster, or goat? They’re making their voices heard to ROCK THAT VOTE! Meg and Lucy have created an exuberant, interactive celebration of classroom election and power of voting, that also explores all the feelings that come along with the process.
By Bahram Rahman, Illustrated by Peggy Collins ( Pajama Press – 2021 )
It’s Aria’s first day back at school since her accident. She’s excited, but she’s also worried about sitting on the hard floor all day with her new prosthetic “helping-leg”. Just as Aria feared, sitting on the floor is so uncomfortable that she can’t think about learning at all. She knows that before the war changed many things in Afghanistan, school like hers had benches for students to sit at. If she had a bench, her leg would not hurt so much. The answer is obvious: she will gather materials, talk to the carpenter in the old city, and learn to build a bench for herself. >>>The author was born in Kabul, and studied at the university in Germany, and in 2012 he moved to Canada as a refugee. Bahram Rahman’s books in SHI collection.
By Susan Hood, Illustrated by Mary Lundquist ( Random House – 2016 )
Imagined in the form of a secret agent’s set of instructions, Mason and other children negotiate the first day of school. Example : ” You’ll be informed about rendezvousing at the vehicle checkpoint ( meeting at the bus stop), building diplomatic relations (making new friends), conducting fieldwork (exploring outside during science class) and until #19. I know you’re up for the task. Let’s go!” This is an another way to encourage children for their first day of school.
