'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Sunday, 16 January 2022

Review: The Wild Guide to Starting School

If you have a child starting school, or even preschool, then you should find a copy of The Wild Guide to Starting School to share with them.

It's a new book from Laura and Philip Bunting, and full of cute and quirky pictures and information for children and parents.

What will it feel like on your first day of school? What will you do at school? What do you need to know?

Presented in a bright and friendly design, The Wild Guide to Starting School will help you start talking about these questions and many others.

Readers will learn about getting ready (and what is appropriate to wear), that it's ok to feel nervous or relaxed, and that it's important to listen and to wait your turn.

The Wild Guide to Starting School features wild animals as the children, parents, and teachers. This is a creative device for adding humour that will likely appeal to children. The examples of different ways to say goodbye when you arrive at school include the 'galah ta-ta', and the 'smell you later'. There are also tips about teachers. Although it's okay to ask the teachers questions, it's not good to squawk or growl at them!

Other topics covered include your classroom, lunch time, using the toilet, and making new friends.

There is a lot in The Wild Guide to Starting School. It will be a great tool for parents, and teachers, to subtlely and not-so-subtley explore the experience of the first day at school, and all the emotions that go with it.

Title:  The Wild Guide to Starting School
Author: Laura Bunting
Illustrator: Philip Bunting
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, $ 19.99
Publication Date: January 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761126284
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book