We're Going to School

Synopsis: Starting a new school year brings a variety of emotions for children, especially if it's their first time experiencing formal schooling. "We're Going to School" presents a day in the life of several children from diverse backgrounds, who engage in many of the same activities on this special day -- the sometimes chaotic preparation to get dressed, have breakfast, and leave the house on time; the experience of meeting new teachers and new friends, and learning new classroom rules; and the fun and satisfaction of completing a task correctly. Children will be reminded and reassured that even though new experiences can be scary sometimes, they soon become familiar occurrences, which paves the way for enjoyment.

Critique: The collaborative project of author/storyteller Tammi Salzano and artist/illustrator Morena Forza, "We're Going to School" is a delightfully charming and reassuring picture book for children ages 3-7 -- making it an welcome and unreservedly recommended addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library collections. --Midwest Book Review


“There is excitement in the air!” on the first day of the new school year in this buoyant step-by-step chronicle. Early morning preparations (“Backpacks are stuffed... and zippers are closed”) and schoolyard goodbyes (“Last-minute hugs and kisses are shared”) launch the day before segueing into boisterous classroom scenes. Salzano breezes through social dynamics (“The children find their seats and make new friends”) to focus on schedule highlights such as time with the class pet, a cafeteria lunch, playground recess, and reading. Jolly classroom views by Forza present round-headed students of varying abilities and skin tones with happy smiles, though close readers may spot figures occasionally experiencing sensory overload, a minor injury, and occasional mishaps. The school day winds down in as orderly a fashion as it started, supplying a solid picture of what students might expect come fall. Ages 3–7. (Apr.) --Publishers Weekly