"This first day Jay enjoys so much,
He hopes it never ends."
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Jay's First Day at School by Sharon Bise Trafford Publishing
book review by Vicki Hudson
Jay is attending his very first day of kindergarten with a new backpack and shiny apple for his teacher. Bise's picture book depicts the many different activities of Jay's first day of school, from leaving home to all the varied aspects of a kindergartner's day including teacher's reading aloud, learning and nap time manners.
Generally, the story does well introducing kidsto what can be expected with the "grown up" adventure of starting school. Bise's use of rhyme for the story attempts to create a memorable meter. This technique helps preschoolers gain understanding of language. There are some off rhymes and meter that disrupt the flow when reading aloud. The ability to recognize rhyme is a key learning stage for preschool and kindergarten children, and the few off rhymes may detract from the reading. Two thirds of the way through is a sudden and unexpected introduction of two Spanish words used in place of "boys" and "girls" without explanation or being germane to the story.
Overall, Bise presents an accurate reflection of the Kindergarten experience and what boys and girls can expect for their own first day at school. The art is colorful and detailed. The cover indicates a religious school, however there are no religious overtones within the story, although the supporting artwork within the story includes related institutional boundaries. This makes the book an excellent choice for parents who want their kids to see this representation of a school.