
Written by Jamel C. Campbell · Illustrated by Lydia Mba
A child's first-day jitters ease when he meets a teacher who surprises him.
Olu's first day of school is filled with anxiety and wild imaginations about his new teacher. What if the teacher breathes fire like a dragon? As he walks to school, his parents reassure him that teachers are just people who help you learn. But Olu's nerves persist. Will his fears be calmed when he finally meets the teacher? This heartwarming tale explores a child's common fear and the comforting discovery that teachers can be warm and familiar, easing the transition into a new school year.
First-day-of-school fears are eased when a child discovers his new teacher is warm and approachable–and looks like him–in a tender picture-book debut. Olu is nervous about going to school for the first time–his legs are shaking and his tummy feels wobbly. He knows his friends will be there, but he doesn’t know what the teacher will be like. What do teachers look like? Where do they live? What do they eat? What if his teacher breathes fire, like a dragon? Ohhhhh . . . MACARONI! Luckily for Olu, his parents talk to him about teachers, assuring him they’re just people who help you learn about the world. But as Olu walks with his mom to school, he is still anxious. What will his teacher be like? Early childhood educator Jamel C. Campbell addresses a common fear that children all over the world experience at the start of a new school year in a sweet, reassuring story paired with the gentle, welcoming illustrations of Lydia Mba. An author’s note addressed to grown-ups explains that meeting children’s needs in times of transition helps to build confidence, resilience, and openness to future exploration.
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