As August begins to wind down and the new school year looms in the not-so-distant future, my thoughts always turn to ways to get my kids back into the groove. (And of course, if you know me well enough, that usually involves a good book.) For any parent who’s fretting over how their child will fit in to a new class of kids, the delightful Ally-Saurus & The First Day of School offers some much-needed reassurance. This story follows the antics of a precocious tot who appears to be more comfortable as a dinosaur than in her own skin. Like so many imaginative, young kids her age, her cuteness borders on near-frustration for her ever-patient parents. So when the first day of school arrives and it’s time to be a regular girl, Ally-Saurus (who will only respond to her self-dubbed moniker) arrives with her alter ego intact…but quickly finds that when it’s time to make friends, things can be a little more challenging than she thought. Lighthearted illustrations accompanied by breezy text assures readers that creative minds do ultimately prevail in this charming tale. (Seasoned veterans will also smile knowingly at Ally’s teacher who manages to relate to her students on a kid-level, while affirming her role as classroom leader.) By story’s end, Ally learns the time-honored lesson of learning to get along with others, while staying true to one’s self.
In a Nutshell: For any parent whose child prefers fantasy over real-life comes a book worth snuggling down to read together. Perfect for back-to-school year transitions.
