Billy and the Big New School (Concept Books (Albert Whitman)) (Hardcover)

by Laurence Anholt (Author), Catherine Anholt (Illustrator) "Billy was starting at a new school..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The Anholts (The Big Book of Families) offer a poignant but reassuring treatment of the anxiety a child feels facing the first day at a new school. Billy confides his fears to the birds in his backyard; he's worried not just about getting lost, but also about the new shoes his mother has bought him, "with laces that were hard to tie." The day before the big start, Billy rescues a young sparrow that is not strong enough to fly. Using a characteristic mix of vignettes, spot art and large-scale illustrations, the Anholts affectionately juxtapose the drama of Billy's sheltering of the bird with the preparations made for school. While Billy makes the bird a nest in a shoebox, his mother is ironing and writing his name on his clothes. The parallel becomes explicit the next morning, when Billy and his mother release the recovered sparrow: "'You have to fly away,' he whispered. 'You have to learn to take care of yourself?like me.'" The drawings of the school (showing children romping on the playground, the kindly teacher, the toilets, the painting area and the computer) will kindle young children's interest, addressing both the strangeness of a new school as well as its possibilities for promoting friendships and positive experiences. As school-jitters stories go, this has an advantage apart from its gracefulness: because the Anholts never spell out Billy's exact situation, their book will be equally appropriate to children facing their first day of kindergarten or moving from one school to another. Ages 4-6.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1-Nervous about starting school, Billy spends time talking to the birds that gather around the feeder in his yard. There he finds the "smallest, grubbiest, weediest, most dusty" sparrow and nurses it back to health. Before going to school, he releases it, saying, "You have to learn to take care of yourself-just like me." That day he makes a friend, tells his classmates about the bird, and ends up with the biggest smile around. The story finishes on an optimistic note for both the boy and the bird. The artwork is done in Catherine Anholt's familiar style-watercolor-and-ink cartoons featuring full, rounded, mostly smiling faces. The illustrations show Billy's drawings, school supplies, classroom surroundings, and finally, the boy's friends. This is a good book to dissipate children's fears about starting school and to show that the classroom can be just as enjoyable as home.
Shelley Woods, Boston Public Library, MA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (May 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807507431
• ISBN-13: 978-0807507438
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 9.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,674,155 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable pictures, but analogy will be lost on most kids, June 21, 2000

By	Suzanne Amara (MA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

My sons enjoyed the pictures in this book, and were mildly interested in Billy starting school, but they totally didn't get the extended analogy about the lost sparrow working its way back to health and happiness, and Billy getting comfortable with going to school. I would have liked more details actually about school, and how Billy adjusted. However, the cute little detailed pictures of both school and birds were a lot of fun to study! If you have a child that loves birds, this might be a good choice, but I would not look to it for much help in transitioning to school.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, May 31, 2007

By	Suzanna Cottrill - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Billy and the Big New School (Paperback)

One of my favorite children's books - sweet gentle story about adjusting to new things. Although the main character is a boy, my little girl loves this book too.