Stanley's School

Toddler-PreS–This cheerful little book is the sixth in the series about Stanley, a hamster who does a variety of things that will be engaging for preschoolers. This installment features Stanley as a teacher. The children put their things away as they enter the school, hear a story, have playtime, work in the garden, have lunch, have a nap, paint exuberantly, and then everybody goes home. There's even a small focus on natural consequences: one of the characters forgets to water his sunflower. The digitally created pictures are flat-lined drawings with bright colors. The pictures are inviting and help to move the story along. There are ample opportunities for readers to identify things they might find in school in the pictures, such as blocks, slides, and rulers. Some readers might make a connection to the "Miffy" books by Dick Bruna, which has a similar feel to the pictures and the gentleness of the story. The padded cover and limited text will be perfect for the smallest readers.