Published by Little Hare Books

Summary:  Kingsley’s a bit of a free spirit, but he’s decided to own a human.  It’s a big responsibility, so he takes his time choosing.  One woman is too fast, another (hairdresser) doesn’t appreciate the hair Kingsley adds to her collection, and a third has too many “small human subordinates” (kids).  Then he meets a girl whom he finds intriguing.  She’s loud and a bit bossy, but Kingsley hangs around, observing some of her odd hobbies like reading and taking a bath on purpose.  Unsure, Kingsley takes a walk to consider his options.  The girl goes out looking for him, and when she finds him, tells him that she missed him and leads him back to her house.  Kingsley realizes he’s found a human who needs him…and that means he’s also found a home.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Kids will fall in love with the adorable and somewhat droll Kingsley, whose quest for a home reminded me of a Gen-Z’er’s search for the perfect job.  

Cons:  Despite the picture of a dog in a bun on his food truck, I thought Kingsley should have at least considered the hot dog man.

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Summary:  It’s Pool Day!  A child and mother join the parade of families heading to the city pool.  After a quick stop in the locker room and a sunscreen rubdown, it’s time to head for the water, joining all kinds of other people who swim, float, or sit on the sides and chat.  There’s Marco Polo, racing, and swimming between friends’ legs, where kids feel like dolphins.  After one last cannonball, the family heads for home, happily making one more stop at the ice cream truck.  48 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A fun slice of summer that perfectly captures the joy of swimming in a crowded city pool on a hot day.  Although the story is narrated in first person, it’s impossible to tell who the narrator is from the busy illustrations, and the diverse cast of characters will mean that many kids will see themselves in the story.

Cons:  I prefer my swimming a bit less crowded.

Published by Clarion Books

Summary:  Are you ready for kindergarten?  You’ll be practicing skills and learning new ones, like singing the alphabet, counting, creating art, and identifying shapes and colors.  If you like to play with friends and be on the go, you’re ready.  Practice saying your name so you can introduce yourself to your new teacher and classmates.  Get ready for a fun year of kindergarten!  Includes tips for caregivers about preparing kids for kindergarten.  32 pages; ages 4-6.

Pros:  This cheerful and encouraging book with its bright, busy illustrations will have kids excited for the first day of kindergarten.  The tips at the end make it a great resource for parents and other caregivers.

Cons:  Feels like preschool kids are doing a lot of what’s portrayed here as being done in kindergarten. 

Published by Feiwel and Friends

Summary:  Everyone’s excited about the first day of school until they discover that beloved librarian Ms. Stack has moved away and been replaced by Ms. Bangle.  The kids decide, sight unseen, that they will refuse to read with Ms. Bangle until Ms. Stack comes back.  Even when they discover that Ms. Bangle is funny and has some great books, they hold fast to their resolve.  Ms. Bangle is understanding and unperturbed, assigning them some of her library jobs while she hems a pair of pants instead of reading to the kids.  After trying to write lesson plans, sort books, and take boxes down to the basement, the kids are ready to reconsider.  They enjoy a good read-aloud, then check out books and settle down to read in the library.  A few wonder if Ms. Bangle was pretending all along, but at this point, what does it matter?  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  If you’re looking for a new book for the first day of library–or for a librarian role model–you may have found one with this entertaining book that will have kids clamoring to go to the library.

Cons:  Ms. Stack–undoubtedly one of my contemporaries–looked to be about 102 years old.

Published by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:  On the first day of school, there seems to be no teacher, although there’s a cup of coffee and an “impressive-looking” sandwich on the front desk.  The kids are gearing up for a day with no rules when a ruler falls loudly off the teacher’s desk.  It’s then that the students notice “Mr. S” written on the board.  “As one, the children murmured: Mr. Sandwich…”  From that moment on, the kids, under the watchful olive eyes of the sandwich, proceed with their school day as normal (with a few sandwich-y twists thrown in).  Sharp-eyed readers will notice a man outside the window dealing with a storm that first knocks a tree onto his car, then hits the car with a bolt of lightning that completely destroys it.  He finally enters the classroom, changes “Mr. S” to “Mr. Spencer,” and introduces himself as…the principal.  “And I see you’ve already met your teacher, Mr. S,” he says, indicating the sandwich.  The last page adds a final mystery, as the sandwich reveals that his name isn’t Mr. Sandwich, but a splotch of mustard on the endpapers keeps his true identity a secret.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Pretty sure this will be my back-to-school read-aloud this year.  It has the same kind of zany humor my students enjoyed in Puppy Bus (my opening selection last year), and kids will love the story the illustrations tell about the principal and his car.

Cons:  I am wracked by curiosity as to what the sandwich’s real name is.