Scarecited on the First Day of School

PreS-Gr 3–Like any other kid, Afua has her first day of school, and she is very scarecited for it. Plus, she wants to look perfectly flute. Unfortunately, like most first days of school, things do not go perfectly for Afua. Her teacher mispronounces her name, making her feel sadbarrassed while also getting hangry. Luckily for her, she is spappy when someone asks her to sit with them at lunch, and she is able to correct her teacher on her name, so by the end of the day she is bravous and bired. Afua’s journey through the first day of school is a good representation of what many students will find themselves in, and the clever wordplay adds a fun element to the story. Young audiences will enjoy working out the words and figuring out what they mean before Afua reveals them. The classroom has a great and diverse cast, playfully portrayed with bright, popping illustrations. The book also makes clever use of text design, creating emphasis through color and design on words of importance to Afua. The illustrations also help readers see the world as she sees it, both outside of her head and her inner thoughts.