I DON’T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL!

A kid starting school is underwhelmed.

Unsurprisingly, the reluctant scholar expresses grievances: Teachers are mean, it might snow, and the classroom’s always cold. A wise, reassuring parent or caregiver in the background offers counterarguments: School’s warm (in more ways than one) and fun, teachers are kind, and new friends and activities await. What about the protagonist’s (and many children’s) biggest complaint—missing their favorite grown-up? Wouldn’t the adult prefer staying with the child and not being alone either? The caregiver quietly explains they must work but also missed parents when a schoolchild. The best part? “I will be waiting for you.” This is a gentle take on a common experience. The gripes are typical ones; the adult’s rejoinders, sensible and sensitive. The White protagonist is more quickly convinced by the adult that school’s great than actual children might be, but this will assure readers/listeners facing the identical experience. The voices of the child and the mostly unseen grown-up are differentiated by type: The child “speaks” in orange capitals; the adult, in a conventional, black serif type. The sweet, appealing illustrations are inventive; one classmate has brown skin. A reader’s note includes tips for adults to help children beginning school. The same creative team also produced companion titles I Want Everything (2020), about tantrums, and Oh Brother! (2020), about welcoming a new baby in the family.

A calming, helpful title about a childhood rite of passage.