Still Sal

Written & illustrated by Kevin Henkes

Part of the A Miller Family Story series

Sal's first day of school is a disaster. Can she find her way back to herself?

4.2/5 Goodreads · 155 ratings

256 pages

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Sal eagerly anticipates her first day of first grade, but nothing goes as planned. Her best friend is in another class, her name tag is misspelled, and she embarrasses herself in front of older kids. With supportive parents, a kind teacher, and new friends, Sal learns to navigate these challenges. Will she find her place and regain her confidence? Discover how Sal's journey unfolds in this heartwarming tale of resilience and friendship.

From the publisher

A stand-alone companion to two-time Newbery Honor author Kevin Henkes’s award-winning and acclaimed The Year of Billy Miller. With themes of family, friendship, and resilience, this very funny school story focuses on Billy’s little sister, Sal, and her first day of school. For fans of Ramona, Ivy + Bean, and Dory Fantasmagory. Sal has been looking forward to first grade for a long time. But her excitement quickly turns to disappointment when she learns that her best friend, Griff, is in the other first-grade classroom and has the most popular teacher. Then Sal’s name is spelled wrong on her name tag, she trips in front of the cool fifth graders, and her self-portrait doesn’t turn out the way she wanted it to. In fact, everything about school is an absolute disaster. Poor Sal!Luckily for Sal, she has understanding parents, a terrific new teacher, and empathetic friends who remind her that it takes time to adjust to change. And sure enough, after a few days, Sal feels like herself again.Still Sal highlights themes of family, friendship, social and emotional growth, resilience, and adapting to change. The fourth stand-alone book in the Miller Family sequence includes black-and-white illustrations by Caldecott Medal winner Kevin Henkes on almost every page and is an excellent choice for early elementary grades, for readers ready for a short novel, and for family and classroom read-alouds.

At a glance