TODAY AT SCHOOL

The first day of school brings with it a variety of emotions.

Tomorrow and her sister, Yesterday—a blue bird and a brown bear, respectively—are preparing for the first day of school. Tomorrow is eager for the start of the new year, anticipating the fun they’ll have, while Yesterday tries to slow down and remember what was. As the day progresses, the siblings get into an argument (“You might need to slow down. You’re always rushing.” “If you’d hurry up, I wouldn’t have to”) that’s quickly resolved with the introduction of Yesterday’s new friend, an orange fox named Today. During recess, Today takes them to the top of a hill overlooking the town and shows them the beauty of living in the moment. Spotlighting common classroom experiences such as circle time, art class, and show and tell, Young and Kurilla offer a relatable look at the varied feelings associated with back-to-school days. While adults may find the book a bit didactic, many little ones will see themselves in both nostalgic Yesterday and eager Tomorrow. Kurilla’s enthusiastic, digitally rendered art is colorful and child-friendly, if a bit busy at times; the all-animal cast are all round shapes and soft lines, and the illustrator uses color-coded speech bubbles to make clear who’s speaking.

A sweetly purposeful back-to-school tale threaded with a message of mindfulness.