Review by Booklist Review
PreS.^-Gr. 1. A little girl learns how much fun nursery school can be in this simple tale of first-day jitters. When Mom drops her off, the child notices some good things ("a friendly lady holds my hand"), but she still just wants Mommy. Soon, however, as she begins to notice more, her cries for Mommy decrease, changing from "I want my Mommy!" to "I want my . . . to "I want . . . ," until they stop altogether. At the end of a day filled with painting, dancing, music, and snacks, Mommy comes back, but now the child doesn't want to go home. She's joined the other triumphant beginning students and shouts, "I want to stay at nursery school!" Loose pen-and-watercolor illustrations convey the little girl's growing enthusiasm in this pleasant story that will reassure youngsters about their own first days. --Diane Foote
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Vibrant watercolor and pen-and-ink artwork and an accessible text make this picture book an adequate addition to first-day-of-school collections. After her mother drops her off and says a rather quick good-bye, the young narrator has only one thought: "I want my mommy." On the next page, she begins to explore the classroom, noticing that there is a playhouse with a blue tea set, pots, and spoons. Then she thinks about her mother again, but this time, she says, "I want my-." As the day progresses, this refrain becomes shorter and shorter, reflecting the child's growing interest in the activities and objects that surround her and showing that she is becoming comfortable with her new environment. Finally, when her mother arrives to pick her up, the girl declares, "I want to stay at nursery school." The appealing paintings depict a busy classroom, complete with inviting play areas and a multicultural cast of smiling playmates. Alternating between double- and full-page spreads and smaller vignettes, the varied layout keeps the action moving and reflects the frenetic energy level of preschoolers at work. The warm palette combined with the child's contagious enthusiasm will help to lift the mood of children reluctant to face that daunting first day.-Joy Fleishhacker, formerly at School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A worried little girl faces her first day at nursery school with a frown. Flintoft's full-bleed watercolors-crisply lined in fine, black ink-show mother and child parting and the teacher leading the girl into an inviting classroom. "I want my mommy," the child says anxiously. Flintoft varies the pacing as the girl explores her new environment. On the next spread, for example, a trio of vignettes shows her playing with a tea set, her mouth turned up in a smile; however, she soon repeats a part of her frightened refrain: "I want my . . . " she says. Edwards accurately reflects the emotional life-and the attention span-of a preschooler by quickly alternating between playful scenes and ever-shortening lamentations. By the end of the day, the child has been so busy painting, gluing, making music, and more that she's surprised when her mother arrives to take her home. "But I do not want to go home . . . " she says, plainly having changed her mind about nursery school after recalling the day's events. The clever closing mimics the opener and makes the transformation complete. A welcome follow-up to Edwards's My Brother Sammy (an award-winner in Britain) and a noteworthy debut for Flintoft. (Picture book. 2-6)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
