School Days

June 1, 2020
Photos of diverse children give readers a peek at a typical school day. Rotner and Kelly's text provides a framework for the day from the perspectives of the children: "We meet on the rug to plan the day. / We check our jobs. / I mark the calendar. / I show the weather." The photos show sights recognizable in North American elementary school classrooms: the gathering-area rug, the calendar, the job chart. Other pages are devoted to things kids are working on learning and subjects they enjoy, free-time activities they choose, specials classes and what they do there, lunch choices, recess, field trips, and how schools can differ--some have gardens; others might have class pets. Though almost every picture shows smiling faces, one spread is devoted to days that "don't go right"--a teacher helps when a child's feelings are hurt, and a nurse provides a bandage after a fall. Rotner's photos are by far the big draw, each spread showing off two to five colorful pictures, many staged but still appealing. The children here are diverse in almost every way--kids may be skinny, plump, or way taller than their peers and of many racial presentations. Hairstyles vary widely. There are a few children wearing glasses, but there are no other visible disabilities. Kids who have never been to school will surely look forward to all the fun depicted here. (Picture book. 4-7)

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