DAYCARETOPIA

A 3-year-old goes to daycare for the first time in Coach’s picture book.

Billy is a naturally curious and enthusiastic child about to embark on a new adventure: daycare. His mom and dad tell him that they need to go to work, so he has to spend some time there. (“They called it Daycaretopia, a magical place where children could play and learn.”) Understandably, Billy is nervous on the first day, but his initial impression of daycare as colorful and full of laughter makes him optimistic. He feels he can trust his teachers, Ms. Tia and Ms. Elma, because his parents do. When it’s time to go home, Billy can only think of telling his parents all about his amazing day and how he can’t wait to go back. This book could be a useful tool for families with children going to daycare for the first time; it does not cover everything, like snack or nap routines, but it may build confidence alongside similar titles. The illustrations, unfortunately, are neither cohesive with the text, which is presented on separate pages with excessive white space, nor consistent, as they sometimes mix two- and three-dimensional artwork with no apparent purpose. Billy and his family are portrayed with brown skin and black hair.

A serviceable addition to the early-education toolbox.