Princess Posey and the First Grade Parade

May 3, 2010
Readers anxious about starting school will identify with the ingenuous heroine of Greene’s (the Moose and Hildy books) novel, first in a series. Fancying herself the “Pink Princess,” Posey dreads the first day of school: she can’t wear her beloved tutu, and her mother will be dropping her off outside instead of escorting her to the classroom. She accuses her mother of abandoning her, then credibly lashes out at her brother (“It’s all your fault.... I was the baby till you got here”). After the boys next door tell her that a monster haunts the school, Posey’s grandfather assuages her fears, but it’s her teacher who has the solution to both problems, inviting her students to wear their “favorite clothes” to start the year with a dress-up parade. Greene’s simple sentences are distinguished by punchy dialogue and sentiments that do justice to a range of emotions, from frustration and nervousness to unadulterated glee. They should go a long way to easing the worries of readers embarking on a new stage in their school life. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 5–8. May)

July 1, 2010
Grades K-2 Author of the Sophie Hartley series of middle-grade chapter books, Greene now offers a series for early chapter-book readers. Nervous about starting first grade in the fall, Posey spends the summer wearing the pink tutu that makes her feel special and worrying that this year she must walk into school and down the first-grade hall alone. It doesnt help that her neighbors, Nick and Tyler, love to tease her about the monster and snakes in that hallway. Midway through the book, Posey jabs Nicks arm with a stick to find out whether the monster really turned his blood to ink. The chapter ends there, leaving readers to wonder whether she drew blood, got into trouble, and/or apologized. The next chapter opens with her sympathetic grandfather drawing out her concerns as he drives her to the store for ice cream. Apart from those lingering questions, the story and illustrations offer a satisfying portrayal of Posey and her world. The black-and-white illustrations are appealing, and the sparkly pink tutu on the book jacket will draw just the right audience.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)