The First Day of School by TOBY FORWARD

by Toby Forward

There's a lot to do on the first day of meet new friends, practice writing, eat lunch, and run around. But it's not only children who do these thingsparents do, too. This charming story follows the day of a young boy and his working mother. Even though they're in different places, the soft, lively illustrations show that they're never far from each other's thoughts. And when it's time to go home, they'll both be ready for a hug and eager to ask, "What did you do today?"

Genres: Picture Books, School, Childrens

Mass Market Paperback

First published August 23, 2004

About the author

Toby Forward is the author of many books for children, including Shakespeare's Globe. He has also written for adults. Toby Forward lives in Liverpool, England, with his wife and two daughters.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The First Day of School was a great take on some of the experiences that children may face on their first day of either going back to school or starting school for the first time.

I think that this story would be a great circle time/group reading book for children in KS1. Children could use this story to talk about how they felt when they had to leave their Mum or Dad when they came to school.

The story focuses on the perspective of a young boy who retells his whole day through his point of view; from making sandwiches with his Mum in the morning, all the way through the day into hometime, when he puts on his coat and is thinking about his Mum.

The layout of this story was really clever as they had pictures of the little boy's day on the left, and while he was describing his day, they put pictures of what his Mum was doing at that point in time on the right hand side of each page, for example, when the little boy is having his break-time and eating biscuits and drinking milk, his Mum is also on her break drinking tea and eating biscuits, and when the little boy sits down and tries to do his very best writing, his Mum is on the phone and typing on the computer in her office.

Aside from being a story used during circle time or group reading, this could also be a good way for children to try and create their own stories using the format of The First Day of School, and to get them to try and think about what their Mums and Dads are doing while they are at school.

[Chinook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really the only book we’ve read about starting school that addresses the idea that the parents will also miss the kid and think about how they are doing all day long. The girls and I both found that interesting.

[Nereida Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taught me how kids feel on the first day of school. This would be a good book to read to our children on the first dah so that they will feel a little more comfortable.

[Tavia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for transition sessions.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up. Juxtaposes what a boy and his mother each do on the first day of school.
37 of 100 Books to Read in Kindergarten. (9 of 10 in "School Stories" category.)

[Christine Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot to do on the first day of school: meet new friends, practice writing, eat lunch, and run around. But it's not only children who do these things--parents do, too. This charming story follows the day of a young boy and his working mother. Even though they're in different places, the soft, lively illustrations show that they're never far from each other's thoughts. And when it's time to go home, they'll both be ready for a hug and eager to ask, "What did you do today?"


Subject: First day of school -- Juvenile fiction
Schools -- Juvenile fiction
First day of school -- Fiction
Schools -- Fiction

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mom and child's day parallel one another. The text seems to talk mainly about the child's day at school, but we see mom doing many of the same activities as well. This is a good first day of school read for kids who are attending for the first time, as well as a nice opportunity for parents to tell their kids what they do at work.

[Ashley Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would use this book to talk to students about the first day of school. I would talk about how we will miss our parents but they will come and get us at the end of the day. I would also use it to talk about all the fun and exciting things they will be learning in school.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book to give to kids who are missing their parents while they are at school.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book but I would have liked more examples of activities done that first day of school.

[Jennifer Ho · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is perfect to read to Pre-K or Kindergarten children as they transition to going to school. It is also great to read-aloud to the children on the first day of school.

[Takiyah Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good book to read during the first week of school.

[Kristin Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would a be a good story to read on the first day of school for Kindergarten through 3rd grade. It really pertains to those students who have a hard time leaving their parents and go to school.