cover image Bunny Braves the Day: A First-Day-of-School Story

Bunny Braves the Day: A First-Day-of-School Story

Suzanne Bloom. Boyds Mills, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-68437-812-8

What’s a bunny to do on day one of school when he frets that no one will like him, he can’t tie his shoes, and he can’t read? He can listen to his authoritative but empathic older sister, who (after handing him a pair of Velcro-fastened shoes) responds, “You’ll find a friend. Not all shoes have laces. And teachers love to teach reading.” She patiently assuages Bunny’s fears with reminiscences of her own first-day nerves, which she overcame by, for example, wearing slip-on glitter shoes (“It’s hard to feel jittery when you’re glittery”). Conceding that he’s ready for school, he takes one last stab at postponing the inevitable— “Mom will miss me”—an excuse for which Bloom finds an upbeat, satisfying solution at the close of this heartening sibling tale accompanied by warm mixed-media pictures. Ages 3–7. [em](Mar.) [/em]