Graduation Groove

PreS-Gr 1–In this celebration of the transition from kindergarten to first grade, snappy, rhythmic text follows a group of kindergartners who are diverse in race and ability as they express their exuberance and readiness to move on to the next grade. Each page offers four stanzas in a repeated pattern, starting with “Got the graduation groove in my kindergarten heart/brain/head/hands,” and finishing with two lines about first grade. The illustrations show the students preparing for a graduation ceremony, complete with blue caps and gowns. The tone is ebullient, at least until one of the children crosses the stage, experiencing a moment of nervousness and reluctance about moving on. The children’s faces are fairly uniform, with dots for eyes and little button noses. The vignettes, often in the form of scrapbook pictures depicting the highlights of the year, are merged with swirls of dots, stars, and musical notes.