The school bus will be stopping at the end of the driveway in just a week or two. For the library's younger patrons, the transition to the hustle and bustle of elementary school is a significant event. There are lots of new picture books that mark this change, in ways both empathetic and amusing. Here are some off-to-school titles we've recently acquired.

One of the most entertaining is Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton. Splat is quite sure he is not ready for Cat School. His mom can barely get him out of bed on that scary first day, let alone out the door. Splat brings along his pet mouse, Seymour, for moral support. Strangely enough, it is Seymour who is key to Splat settling in happily at school. The illustrations make a silly story even funnier.

Jake's Best Thumb by Ilene Cooper focuses on a small but important real-life problem. Many children deal with the stresses of childhood by sucking a thumb or holding on to a "lovey". But they realize that these behaviors mark them as immature and struggle to shed them as they head to school. Cooper's story is a sympathetic recounting of this growing-up process on the part of young Jake.

Dog Day by Sarah Hayes (and illustrated by her daughter-in-law Hannah Broadway) is quite possibly a child's dream come true. Ben saunters into his classroom and is thrilled to meet his new teacher - a dog named Riff! He and his classmates spend the rest of the day learning all the important aspects of being a canine. This will be a read-aloud (bark-aloud?) hit.

Off to First Grade by Louise Borden gives every student in Mrs. Miller's classroom an opportunity to voice his or her feelings on the first day of school. Some children worry, some exult, but all are glad to be part of a new class. Mrs. Miller has her say, too, along with the bus driver and the principal. The pictures by Joan Rankin show the students in animal guise, anticipating an important day.

In Daniel Kirk's Keisha Ann Can!, confidence isn't an issue: she's got it! No matter what Keisha Ann has to deal with on the first day of school, she can handle it, with enthusiasm, good manners, and a smile. Kirk's rhyming text is a delight to read and his pictures almost bounce off the page.

Not seeking the latest in school stories? We've got plenty of classics waiting for you in a special display rack in the picture book room. Look for Wow, School! (Neubecker) with oversized pictures that focus on fun; Cornelius P. Mud, Are you ready for school? (Saltzberg), which revels in the silly side of that question; Countdown to Kindergarten (Hays), that will prepare any young listener well for her first day; My Kindergarten and Emily's First 100 Days of School; Rosemary Well's sweet (and exhaustive!) introductions to kindergarten; and three entertaining series, involving Miss Bindergarten, Miss Malarkey and that outrageous trickster Miss Nelson. There's a lot to enjoy!



Mary Hoskinson-Dean