Review by Booklist Review
Tortoise knows that it's time to start school, but he hesitates outside his classroom on the first day. Imagining a series of catastrophic what if scenarios, he decides: I can't go in. After reimagining a day with pleasant outcomes, Tortoise changes his mind and summons the courage to walk into class. At this point, a surprise ending turns an enjoyable but somewhat predictable picture book into a smarter, funnier one that children will want to share with classmates. The precisely worded text and amiable mixed-media illustrations work well together. An empathetic read-aloud choice, this book offers a welcome antidote for first-day-of-school jitters.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In a story that shows that back-to-school anxieties aren't just child's play, Tortoise quietly contemplates what could go wrong at school. "What if he tripped while getting lunch, and all the kids were mean to him?" Each scenario features gentle-looking animals, while the use of white space emphasizes Tortoise's feelings of isolation as he sits outside school, shoulders hunched. But Tortoise's thoughts soon turn to the positive: "What if... it was fun? Or lunch was his favorite? Or he made lots of new friends?" Readers approaching school with trepidation will be doubly reassured by the clever and tender twist at the end. Ages 4-7. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Summer ends, and Tortoise must go back to school. Wearing a red cap and a purple scarf, his apple and notebook securely in his backpack, he sets off through the woods. As he walks, he worries about tripping and falling, about a lunch he might not like, and about kids who might be mean to him. When he arrives, he sits down on the steps, unable to go inside. Then his face brightens as he imagines eating his favorite lunch and making new friends. Taking a deep breath, he opens the door and bravely greets the other animals, who shout back "Good morning, Mr. Tortoise." While back-to-school jitters are certainly not limited to children, the problem here is that Tortoise is much the same size as Rabbit, Bird, Cat, Frog, and Pig, and nothing about his appearance suggests that he is an adult. The cartoon illustrations are done in pastels and enlarge the brief text. Tortoise's sweet face is expressive, and his worries are the same that many children feel on that first day. Still, a more reassuring story for the faint of heart might be Kevin Henkes's Wemberly Worried (Greenwillow, 2000).-Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN (c) Copyright 2011. 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 Horn Book Review
With the close of summer comes school, and Tortoise is uneasy as he anticipates his first day. He thinks of all kinds of embarrassing problems. What if he falls down? Or if his classmates (a menagerie of smiling animals) are mean? On the other hand, what if school is fun? A clean palette and soft black lines reflect the spare, reassuring text's warmth. (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In the tradition of back-to-school books that focus on the teacher, such as Julie Danneberg's First Day Jitters (2000), this outing demonstrates that they are human, with the same fears and worries that their students face.George cleverly leads readers to believe that Tortoise is just another kid worrying about school. He flies kites, wears a backpack and tends to trip a lot. And on the first day of school, after getting dressed and eating a good breakfast, the what-ifs start to plague him. "What if he tripped and fell? Or he didn't like lunch? Or the kids were mean to him?" Worse yet, what if all three happened at the same time? The what-ifs paralyze him on the steps of the school, where he sits pondering. But some positive thinking turns those what-ifs around: "What if it was fun? Or lunch was his favorite? Or he made lots of new friends?" Or better yet, all three. He wouldn't want to miss that! He bravely opens the door, greets everyone, and it is finally revealed that this is Mr. Tortoise, the teacher, who was so worried. Light colors and simple details mark Eyckerman's illustrations, which keep George's true professorial identity a secret right until the very end. Her characters embody the charm and innocence of young children.A great pep-talk for nervous newcomers to school, and some reassurance that even teachers can worry about the first day. (Picture book. 4-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
