Off to Kindergarten

by Tony Johnston, Melissa Sweet (Illustrations)

Award-winning author Tony Johnston and illustrator Melissa Sweet create a joyful story about the first day of kindergarten!

"I'm off to kindergarten now.
I'd better take my bear.
He likes to sit beside me so
I'll take a little chair. . . ."

So begins the long list of things Bill absolutely needs for his first day of school. Along with his pillow and some cookies, he also plans on bringing his sandbox, some digging moles, and a moving truck!

A touching story of first-day jitters and hopes, Tony Johnston's rhyming text is paired with Melissa Sweet's delightful illustrations!

Genres: Picture Books, School, Childrens, Back To School, Fiction, Storytime

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Tony Johnston has written many acclaimed books for young people. She and her husband lived in Mexico for fifteen years, where they raised their children. She now lives in San Marino, California.

Reviews

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really what I was looking for in a Kindergarten prep for my stepdaughter. Humorous in all the things he wants to take with him. But she has a pretty good grasp on that. Maybe she would have found it funny. But with all the other books I was finding, I didn't want to overwhelm her with choices or having EVERYTHING be Kindergarten and manners.

[Jonathan Cavazos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book I am going to read to my Kindergartners.

[Randie D. Camp, M.S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son starts Kindergarten tomorrow, so we read this book to ease worries and increase excitement for the big day!

A boy wants to bring everything with him to Kindergarten just in case it's not there. But his mom reassured him that his teacher will have paint, toys, books, snacks, etc. Watercolor illustrations are simple and child-like, perfect for Kindergarteners.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought it was cute how the little boy in this book wanted to take everything to kindergarten with him, but it was disappointing that he never actually got to school in the book. I didn't think that it was very helpful in preparing a five year old for what to expect. Plus, some of the rhymes were forced or non-existent.

[Rebecca Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute book to read to kindergarten or in some cases first graders. This is good for the first day of school or within the first month. This book provides some humor the younger students will understand and it will relieve some stress if they are still worried about kindergarten or school in general.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our oldest son received this book as a gift from his 4K teacher yesterday at his graduation ceremony. Cute book about how a little boy wants to take everything he has from home to school with him on the first day of kindergarten, but then he realizes after talking to his mom that the only thing he needs to take is himself. Rhyming book that our son really enjoyed.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy is excited to go off to Kindergarten and thinks he needs to bring several of his things with him.
I love the rhyming with some silly humor thrown in.
This is a great book for all those kids off to Kindergarten.

[Cornelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

For kindergarten children, I would use this book in the classroom on the first day of school because the young children will be able to relate to the character in the book as he grabs multiple items that he thinks he will need for school.

[Jenilyn Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was kind of a silly story. I think children in school would find it funny. It would be good to read to children and ask them what kinds of things they wanted to bring to school on their very first day of kindergarten. I also appreciated the rhyming.

[Jamie Haddox · Rating 1 out of 5]

my son was given this book by his kindergarten teacher, and I really wish I didn't have to read it. the rhymes are forced, the meter is off, and it's narrated by a kindergartner who uses the word "cavort." I dislike it completely. there are better books about kindergarten out there.

[Eva Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one. He wanted to take all of his things to kindergarten but he didn't need them. He must not have gone to daycare though, because if he did, he'd know that they already have all those things there!!! But his mama set him straight.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a colorful brightly illustrated book about a boy thinking about what all he needs to take to school with him. The rhymes get a little cumbersome in places making it difficult to keep rhythm. I would use this to talk about expectations.

[Sherry Thornberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captures all of the excitement about a child's first day of kindergarten. It truly captures the feel of not knowing what to expect but being excited anyhow. The boy in this story wants to take everything he owns to school just like all three of my kids wanted to do. I liked this book.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book for getting ready for Kindergarten (or any first experience of school).

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young boy lists all the things he will have to take with him on his first day in kindergarten.

[Cheyenne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was about a little boy who gathered all the things he'd need for going to Kindergarten, which ended up being everything but the kitchen sink.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very cute little reminder that kiddos do not need to be worried transitioning to Kindergarten

[Well-Read Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not one of my favorite kindergarten stories.

Bill wants to take all his stuff with him to kindergarten. The whole story is about what he imagines he may need, and packing it up. But it turns out he only needs himself. And that's pretty much it. Nothing about what kindergarten will be like, or what to expect, but I guess by the title I should have expected that.

I do have to mention that I love the rhyming in the book. I have been reading a lot of kids rhyme books lately and some just fall short. This one is an exception in that area.

https://wellreadmama.com/kindergarten...

[Clwseattle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Off to Kindergarten introduces us to Little Bill who wants to take everything familiar to him with him on his first day of kindergarten and quickly finds out he can't and doesn't need to worry!

Off to Kindergarten is one of about 25 'kindergarten' books I'm reading before I buy one for my grand who starts kindergarten this year. While I enjoyed Off to Kindergarten and will read it to my grand, it's not the kindergarten keepsake book I'm hoping to find.

[Chinook · Rating 4 out of 5]

What makes this stand out in the back to school genre is that it’s incredibly silly. The girls were amused that this little boy thought he had to pack boxes and boxes of things to take to school with him... and then they were further amused that he didn’t even have a backpack when he did go.

[Amy Ingalls · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute rhyming story

[Tianna Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Colors in this book is what caught my attention. kids get excited when they see coo colors and cool graphics. i think that is what make this book great!

[Bella Noorbakhsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book with lots of colors , which grabs kids attention just as much as mine!

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty funny.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story. No vocabulary words. Lots of make believe words Not consistent rhyme pattern. Pretty pictures.

[Partridge Public]

Johnston, Tony K-1st

[Aphie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice bouncy rhyming story about awesome kindy things.