BIRDIE'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Birdie is back, and this time she is nervous about her first day of school.

So nervous, in fact, that she can’t sleep, which is illustrated to hysterical effect in three overhead views of a tossing-and-turning Birdie in bed with her peacefully slumbering dog, Monster. She shares her worries with Monster in the morning—what it will be like, what should she bring, what should she wear—but he’s no help. But Mommy’s locket helps her remember that she and Monster are always there for her. And Birdie’s first day is great—filled with all the school standards: cubbies, desks, a nice, bearded teacher, stories, songs, a yummy lunch, recess, and art. And at the end of the day, not only does Birdie proudly share everything about her day, but she has trouble sleeping again, this time due to excitement about her second day. Rim’s nicely textured watercolor, colored pencil, and collage illustrations portray Birdie and her multiracial classmates’ transformations from nervous to happy as the day progresses, white backgrounds keeping the focus on the kids.

Birdie is a delightful guide for those new to school, and parents may want to take a page from her mom’s book and have a locket handy.