Customer Reviews

Go Home, Mrs. Beekman!

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Ann Stampler does it again! A beautifully written children's book. This time, she tackles the theme of separation anxiety. Creatively, she deals with this topic from the point of view of the parent. This allows the child to attribute their own fears to another, which helps them work through their feelings without having to own up to them directly.
Many parents will also identify with Mrs. Beekman, who through many wonderful disguises, attempts to stay at school with her child all day.

As I drive to work in the morning and see the anxious faces of both parents and kids as the kindergarden bus arrives, I wish I could hand out this book at each bus stop.

As a psychotherapist, I will be recommending this book to my clients who are struggling with "the first day of school".

Nancy Adler-Jones, MSW

The night I got this book was the second day of Kindergarten for my son. We sat down and read it together. In the story, Emily Beekman refuses come out of the fort she's built in her bedroom and go to the first day of school unless her mother promises to stay at school with her forever. Mrs. Beekman promises. Nevertheless, unfortunately, even after Emily forms a bond with her teacher, makes new friends, and is perfectly happy to go to school on her own, Mrs. Beekman just won't leave.
I immediately made a connection with the mother in the story. Unlike the child in the story my son was soooooo excited about the first day of school. Me on the other hand, I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to let him go to this unusual place all by himself. I connected with Mrs. Beekman's need to watch over her child. She became a fly on the wall at her daughters's school by transforming herself into a coat rack, a hat, a hula hoop, and some other interesting things. As we read, I could relate. Those first few days of school had me wondering how my son was doing, if he was listening to the teacher, if he was having fun, and if he missed me. Much to the dismay of the teacher in the story, Mrs. Beekman saw it all in her daughters class! That lucky Mrs. Beekman!!!!
The book is adorable. The story entertained both me and my son. I think this would be a great gift to give to a parent who has a child going into grade K. Not many (if any) back to school books display how a parent may have a more difficult time letting go of a child; than the child has of letting go of the parent. Ann Stampler does a super job of making this story flow. My son of course thought the story was funny and I thought the story had a hidden truth in it about how parents have anxiety too about the first day of school.
I also think this would make a fun read for the first few days of school. It would be fun to have the class draw a picture of their parents at school with them. You could discuss: How would your mom or dad hide if he or she came to school? Would you like your mom or dad to be at school with you everyday?

This lovely and useful children's book was recommended to me by a fellow mental health professional. As a psychologist treating adults, I sometimes deal with parents who unconsciously transmit their own anxieties to their vulnerable, impressionable children. Go Home, Mrs. Beekman! is a playful antidote to this problem, using humor to show parents and children alike that the "first day jitters" can be handled successfully and that children will adapt quickly to a new school if parents can model letting go. The author, Ann Redisch Stampler, skillfully teaches both parent and child to accept the change that separation brings and she does it without making either feel ashamed. The book is really fun and funny and humor, after all, is the highest defense. The book is beautifully illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington, who brings the story to life with lots of color and characters who captivate the reader's imagination (I particularly enjoyed seeing Mrs. Beekman not so cleverly disguised as a large green dog in her attempt to sneak into her daughter's class). I won't hesitate to recommend this book to parents who are about to send their children off to daycare or school for the first time. Bravo!!!

I read this book to my 2nd graders the 1st week of school and my kids loved it! They all laughed at Mrs. Beekman's silliness to be with her child! I'm glad I don't have any moms that bad!

I was volunteering in my first grade daughter's classroom yesterday and read this book. I asked how many of them remember being afraid for their first day of preschool or kindergarten. Over half the hands shot up! They loved the book because it played out their own fears, but moved to a place where the girl in the story becomes very comfortablel. It is hilarious because the mom takes a long time to figure this out so she becomes the problem rather than the daughter. I complimented the first graders at the end because now they come to school confidently on their own. They have grown up a lot!