First Day Critter Jitters

A variety of critters share the anxieties they feel the night before the first day of school. Sloth worries about being late—”have you ever seen how slowly sloths walk? . . . I probably should have left yesterday”—while Rabbit is unsure how she will control her boundless energy, and Snake doesn’t know how to keep his backpack on. As the classmates arrive at school and sit uneasily in their chairs, an armadillo rolls into the room curled up tight in a protective ball. The armadillo is their teacher, Mr. Sherwood, who, as it turns out, is also very nervous about the first day. Eager to help, the students offer their services and discover that their unique characteristics can actually be used to help others. John and Climo fill the story with examples of young kids identifying and explaining what is causing them to feel nervous, making this a powerful teaching moment as many of the worries are relatable for little readers—high energy, small physical size, missing home and parents, and more. The teacher’s own shyness will also help kids understand that everyone (even adults) gets nervous. John displays characteristic wit and humor throughout, and Climo depicts it all with speech bubbles and a unique, straightforward, comic-strip like simplicity in character design and color.