Tag starting nursery

Olu’s Teacher

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Olu’s Teacher
Jamel C. Campbell and Lydia Mba
Walker Books

Understandably Olu is very nervous about starting nursery school. His Dad reminds him that his friends Akeem and Sarah will be there, but what about the teacher? As he contemplates this new person, imagining all kinds of scary possibilities, he suddenly says, “MACARONI!” This is the word Olu uses when he’s really nervous. His worries get the better of him several times despite the reassurances from his Dad and Mum; and they reach the nursery building all too soon for our little narrator. However, it’s a really warm, friendly face that greets him and introduces himself as ‘Jay”. When Jay smiles he shows his shiny gold tooth, which he does all the way to the classroom. Once there he invites Olu to sit with his friends and make some pictures.

Mum gives her son a goodbye hug and departs leaving him in Jay’s care.
Olu could not have had a better teacher that Jay: he plays the boy’s favourite reggae music on his guitar

and at story time, dons a special cape before sharing a book with the children. Olu is surprised at how quickly the session has gone and it’s time to leave. Before so doing, however, a realisation dawns: Jay actually looks like Olu – another reason he’s eagerly anticipating returning to nursery the next day.

A smashing, hugely reassuring book by a smashing teacher (the author is himself an Early Years educator) and as he writes after the story, he knows that starting nursery is one of the big, and most important, transitions in a child’s life and it’s vital everything possible is done to ensure that for every child, it’s a positive one. Lydia Mba’s illustrations of the diverse community Olu joins when he starts nursery certainly make it look an exciting, enabling place to be.

Nursery? Not Today!

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Nursery? Not Today!
Rebecca Patterson and Nikki Dyson
Farshore

Rosa starts nursery, so she tells us, on a Monday. Everything goes wonderfully well: she paints an ace picture, sings without any shouting, enjoys lunch and plays without any rough stuff.
At the end of the day, her teacher Miss Lewis deems her ‘an absolute star!” Seemingly Miss Lewis wasn’t quite as observant as she could have been.

Assuredly the newbie enjoyed the plentiful action the nursery offered and she’s even prepared to share her new song with her younger sibling on the way home.

However, come Tuesday, Ruby has other plans that keep her more than a tad busy. Daddy is not impressed, especially when the young narrator suggests sending little brother Alby in her place and even less so when she suggests if he won’t do, perhaps Bernard (the pet gerbil) might stand in.

Is there anything that might persuade Rosa to don her coat and shoes and set out? I wonder …

Well observed, Rebecca Patterson’s funny story with Nikki Dyson’s bold, splendidly expressive, illustrations will appeal both to preschoolers and adult sharers though for different reasons. Youngsters will love exploring the wealth of detail in the illustrations as well as Rosa’s antics whereas adults will particularly appreciate the child/father interactions.

A smashing story to share with those about to start nursery and those already happily settled in a preschool setting.

What Does the Crocodile Say?

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What Does the Crocodile Say?
Eva Montanari
Book Island

A really smashing ‘starting nursery’ book is this one from author/illustrator, Eva Montanari starring a little crocodile on his very first day at nursery.

Mama wakes him, baths him, dresses him; they eat breakfast together and off they go.

At the door, teacher elephant greets parent and son

and they enter the noisy room where other animals are playing. Little croc. is very reluctant to bid his mum farewell.

Then comes story time

followed by a music session and then it’s time for lunch and thereafter a nap.

When the little ones are awake their teacher entertains them with bubble blowing and after the final POP comes a KNOCK KNOCK on the door.
Mama has arrived to collect little croc who couldn’t be happier to see her. MWAH MWAH …

And will he return tomorrow? It certainly looks that way.

Short and sweet assuredly: I can almost hear adult ‘AWW’s of empathy as they share this one and as for soon-to-start nursery little ones, they’ll most certainly enjoy joining in with the cacophonous sequence of sounds -accompanying the gorgeous illustrations as we follow the little reptile through his day.

An absolute winner this.

Zeki gets a Checkup / My First Day

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Zeki Gets a Checkup
Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson
Alanna Books

Lulu’s little brother is now a playful toddler drinking from his own cup and feeding himself. It’s the day he’s going for a health check and having helped pack his bag, Daddy and the infant are ready to visit the clinic.

Once there they have to wait their turn so Zeki is glad he’s got his favourite Mister Seahorse to play with but it’s not too long before it’s their turn.

Zeki is happy to show what he can do; he’s weighed and measured, has his eyes, ears and heart checked

and is given a jab to help him stay healthy. He leaves with a well-deserved sticker, a new book and a cheery farewell wave from the health practitioner.

Full of warmth, reassuring, and as with all the books in this series, inclusive and beautifully portrayed.
Definitely one to add to the bookshelves of those with toddlers be that at home or in a nursery setting.

My First Day
Amber Stewart and Layn Marlow
Oxford University Press

This is one of the newly packaged My First Milestones series and features little duckling, Puddle who, along with his two friends is about to start nursery school. Having eagerly anticipated the big day since he was ‘barely more than an egg’, when it finally arrives the little duckling is more than a tad nervous.

His Mummy Duck however, has taken steps to ensure things go smoothly. She offers words of reassurance and packs into his school bag things that will remind him that she’s never far off: one of her soft feathers, his favourite nibbles, some biscuits to share with his friends

and his Cuddly for afternoon rest time.

Creative activities fill the rest of the day and before you can say, ‘going-home time’ there waiting is Puddle’s very own Mummy Duck with a warm hug.

It’s not nerves but excitement that causes the duckling’s heart to go pitter-patter that night as he anticipates his next day at duckling school.

A sweet story, told in a direct manner that expresses so well Puddle’s feelings, beautifully illustrated with scenes of the riverside in spring, this is just right for sharing with children about to have their own first day at nursery.

I’ve signed the charter