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Every child eventually reaches that momentous milestone of their first day at school. Some treat it with excitement, others anxiety, but it is a rite of passage that is a vital part of our culture's development. In this story, the narrator is a child who is preparing for the first day of school with plenty of excitement and a small amount of nerves. The narrative shows how when children say goodbye to their parents and meet their teacher and their classmates, they realize how fun school can be and how rewarding their first taste of individuality is. In its description of going through every aspect of the first day of school, from breakfast and brushing teeth to recess with a classroom full of new playmates, this book is charming and reassuring to any child unsure what to think about entering the school system.
This book is bilingually presented in both English and Spanish, depending on which side of the book the reader starts from. The massive cartoon illustrations on pages alternating with the text are standard heartwarming fare for a children's book. However, the fact that the character designs are different depending on which language the text is in is a massive achievement in representation. This allows kids to find characters that resemble themselves or for children being trained in both languages to recognize multiple walks of life in a way that feels natural and not forced. The tender tone and soft colors and shapes of this book go a long way to making every new adventure of school feel as non-threatening as possible, which will undoubtedly put the minds of readers and parents alike at ease.