First Grade Stinks!

Illustrated by Beth Spiegel
This back-to-school tale is a humorous and relatable read for rising first graders and young children facing new experiences.

It's the first day of school, and Hayley is excited. Things are different now. She's a first grader!

Hayley quickly finds out that first grade is different from kindergarten, but in all the wrong ways. The classroom isn't as bright and colorful. Ms. Gray doesn't seem to smile as much as her kindergarten teacher did, and there isn't enough time to play outside. Finally, Hayley has had enough. "First grade stinks!" she shouts. And fortunately, her compassionate teacher completely understands.

Young readers will immediately empathize with Hayley as she struggles to find enthusiasm for her new school year. 2/4/2022
Mary Ann Rodman is a former school media specialist and the author of picture books and middle grade novels. She has received both the Ezra Jack Keats Award for Outstanding New Picture Book Writer and the Charlotte Zolotow Award. She lives in Georgia.

Beth Spiegel has edited award-winning documentary programs for television and directed animated films that have received several international awards. She lives in California.
"Perfect as a read-aloud. . . a spot-on depiction of teachers helping kids through rough patches." —School Library Journal

★ "Rodman handles the turmoil of school transitions with realism and humor. A good jumping-off book for discussions about differences and change." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Rodman's witty take on the harsh realities of first grade, as perceived by those in the trenches, will tickle readers' funny bones. . . . For young readers approaching this or any other significant transition with trepidation, Rodman's humorous tale serves as a gentle reminder to search for the silver lining." —Kirkus Reviews

"Ink sketches filled in with splashy watercolors depict a worried, increasingly frazzled Haley as she copes with new challenges in a busy, active classroom. An important book for kids making a pretty tough transition." —Booklist

About

This back-to-school tale is a humorous and relatable read for rising first graders and young children facing new experiences.

It's the first day of school, and Hayley is excited. Things are different now. She's a first grader!

Hayley quickly finds out that first grade is different from kindergarten, but in all the wrong ways. The classroom isn't as bright and colorful. Ms. Gray doesn't seem to smile as much as her kindergarten teacher did, and there isn't enough time to play outside. Finally, Hayley has had enough. "First grade stinks!" she shouts. And fortunately, her compassionate teacher completely understands.

Young readers will immediately empathize with Hayley as she struggles to find enthusiasm for her new school year. 2/4/2022

Author

Mary Ann Rodman is a former school media specialist and the author of picture books and middle grade novels. She has received both the Ezra Jack Keats Award for Outstanding New Picture Book Writer and the Charlotte Zolotow Award. She lives in Georgia.

Beth Spiegel has edited award-winning documentary programs for television and directed animated films that have received several international awards. She lives in California.

Praise

"Perfect as a read-aloud. . . a spot-on depiction of teachers helping kids through rough patches." —School Library Journal

★ "Rodman handles the turmoil of school transitions with realism and humor. A good jumping-off book for discussions about differences and change." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Rodman's witty take on the harsh realities of first grade, as perceived by those in the trenches, will tickle readers' funny bones. . . . For young readers approaching this or any other significant transition with trepidation, Rodman's humorous tale serves as a gentle reminder to search for the silver lining." —Kirkus Reviews

"Ink sketches filled in with splashy watercolors depict a worried, increasingly frazzled Haley as she copes with new challenges in a busy, active classroom. An important book for kids making a pretty tough transition." —Booklist

Join us for a free webinar featuring author Jonathan Haidt!

Join us Tuesday, September 24, 2024 @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EST for   Free the Anxious Generation Movement: A Call for K-12 School Leaders   Presented by Dr. Jonathan Haidt, Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business, and Author of The Anxious Generation Moderated by Jenn

Read more

Reading with Purpose Summit Event

On Monday, June 10th, Penguin Random House Education and DK Learning co-hosted a Reading with Purpose Summit Event in collaboration with Molly Ness, PhD. The event took place at Penguin Random House’s NYC headquarters and included sessions featuring leading education experts and a lunchtime author panel. The in-person professional learning event was built to show

Read more

2024 Elementary School Collection

The Penguin Random House Education Elementary School Collection features outstanding fiction, nonfiction, and picture books from Penguin Young Reader’s, Random House Children’s, DK, and Grupo Editorial, as well as children’s publishers distributed by Penguin Random House. Explore online or download this valuable resource to discover great books in specific topic areas such as: Leveled Readers,

Read more

DK Learning Phonic Books Sampler Request

Thank you for your interest in DK Learning | Phonic Books. To download the DK Learning | Phonic Books sampler with four complete readers, please click here and complete the form. Once your information is successfully submitted, a link to download the sampler will be provided on the confirmation screen.   Click here to learn

Read more

PRH Education Translanguaging Collections

Translanguaging is a communicative practice of bilinguals and multilinguals, that is, it is a practice whereby bilinguals and multilinguals use their entire linguistic repertoire to communicate and make meaning (García, 2009; García, Ibarra Johnson, & Seltzer, 2017)   It is through that lens that we have partnered with teacher educators and bilingual education experts, Drs.

Read more