friday's five, new beginnings

Recently, I began a new chapter in my life-- a return to the full-time workforce, and in an administrative position in a higher education setting, to boot! I am beyond thrilled for this opportunity to support three centers that each focus on work with students in areas that I truly value so highly. I found a golden ticket, I tell ya.

I've spent the last three weeks trying to make sense of a smorgasbord of acronyms, finding my way around a new building, collecting keys to open a variety of doors, and trying to overcome my personal challenge in remembering names. It's most definitely a new beginning for me, and it made me think about picture books that celebrate first days and fresh starts. I could use the reassurance of these types of books right about now!

So here are a handful of books that you might find fitting for use in your classroom as you start a new year, or at home with your child as you prep together for new changes on the horizon, like a new school or a family move, or perhaps for yourself, sitting at a new desk, in a new building, surrounded by (mostly) new people, wondering if you'll ever know what you're doing. (Ahem.)

1. The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! written and illustrated by Mo Willems

Okay, I've been a fan of the Pigeon since he first burst on the scene longing to drive a bus. I immediately bought every subsequent picture book he appeared in, and while I liked each of them, they did feel slightly less than the original, in some kind-of-hard-to-describe way. To me, this latest edition, some sixteen years after the original, has recaptured some of the magic of the original. I adored this book from my first read, and I even made the 11- and 13-year-olds listen to it as a read-aloud, because I happen to be a big fan of my Pigeon voice. Pigeon is back to his obstinate-- but malleable-- ways, perfectly reminiscent of so many of the preschoolers I've known in my life. This will be a joy to read to a group, and I'm excited the Pigeon has come back for another round.

2. The Invisible Boy written by Trudy Ludwig and illustrated by Patrice Barton

If you are a classroom teacher, please, please, please add this to your read alouds list. This story of a boy who feels left out among his peers is paced beautifully, giving time to focus on the feelings of the protagonist, Brian, and to allow young readers to get a sense of who he is as a kid. I imagine many kids will feel a kinship with Brian, perhaps not always the ones who the teachers might predict. Students who feel 'invisible' may not always be on a busy teacher's radar, and this book is a gentle reminder for the adults in education settings, too! The beauty of a new friendship blossoming makes this a delightful story, and the suggested questions for educators and families in the back are worded in a loving way that will encourage discussion.

3. A New Home written and illustrated by Tania de Regil

I like this picture book's unique take on the theme of a family moving away. Two children talk about what they will miss when they move from one city to another, and readers quickly figure out that the children are each moving to the other's city! So when they talk about the places they love and the things they worry about missing, there's a built-in reassurance for readers that these characters will find new places and activities to love after they move. There is a calm tone to the book, an impression that it's okay for these children to express their sadness and worry because they have supportive families and will come to feel at home in their new cities.

4. The Name Jar written and illustrated by Yangsook Choi

This is an older book, but its message is perhaps more important now than ever, with a national climate of xenophobia that even the youngest children among us can pick up on. (Sigh.) A new student who has just emigrated from Korea, Unhei, is worried about her American classmates being unable to pronounce her name correctly, as well as generally feeling different than her peers. She says she will be picking a name soon, and her new classmates offer many typical American names, but these names just don't feel right. Will she become comfortable being her true self with her new peers? This book provides comfort and reassurance to children who may feel like outsiders, with the needed message of respect for the things that some can consider differences. Talking with children about perspective is important-- would an Amanda feel the same way in Korea?

5. The Day You Begin written by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by Rafael López

I've talked about this one before in a previous Friday's Five post, but it absolutely deserves another moment in the spotlight. I suggested it to an incredibly thoughtful friend who is newish classroom teacher, and she just told me this morning that she read it to her second grade class during their first week. Not only did the entire class engage positively with it, but she said that her ESL students appeared "visibly relieved." I teared up when I read that, and I've got goosebumps right now while typing the words. This is a perfect book for welcoming children, and with the opening line, there is an acknowledgement that is rarely stated outright in children's lit: "There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you." This acknowledgement takes different forms that may connect with different children. But, there is hope here, too, in active ways that all children can understand and replicate. There is just so much beauty in this book, and I think children and adults alike benefit from sharing it!


Saying yes to new beginnings,