The Day You Begin

The Day You Begin | Realistic Fiction | Jacqueline Woodson | National Book Award; Jane Addams Peace Association; 2019 Winner Book for Younger Children; 2019 Floyd’s Pick Book Award Winner | ages 5-8 | 

“There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is unite like you.”

Children, on the first day of school are filled with worries when they begin thinking about how this first day back will be. Rigoberto, who moved from Venezuela, begins to think how his classmates will react at hearing his name and the way he speaks. Angelina who can imagine what it’ll be like when her teacher asks what did she do in the summer. While her classmates list many locations, she won’t have not one. That is until she begins to share her stories about spending summer with her sister, reading books, and traveling through them. 

Everybody gets the first day jitters and I think this book is perfect to start off the first day of school. A book that shows understanding of feeling scared the first day back and feeling different. It can work as a conversation starter. This book is appropriate for grade levels kindergarten to third grade, however, I see myself using this book regardless of the age.