A stand-alone companion to two-time Newbery Honor author Kevin Henkes’s award-winning and acclaimed The Year of Billy Miller. With themes of family, friendship, and resilience, this very funny school story focuses on Billy’s little sister, Sal, and her first day of school. For fans of Ramona, Ivy + Bean, and Dory Fantasmagory.
Sal has been looking forward to first grade for a long time. But her excitement quickly turns to disappointment when she learns that her best friend, Griff, is in the other first-grade classroom and has the most popular teacher. Then Sal’s name is spelled wrong on her name tag, she trips in front of the cool fifth graders, and her self-portrait doesn’t turn out the way she wanted it to. In fact, everything about school is an absolute disaster. Poor Sal!
Luckily for Sal, she has understanding parents, a terrific new teacher, and empathetic friends who remind her that it takes time to adjust to change. And sure enough, after a few days, Sal feels like herself again.
Still Sal highlights themes of family, friendship, social and emotional growth, resilience, and adapting to change. The fourth stand-alone book in the Miller Family sequence includes black-and-white illustrations by Caldecott Medal winner Kevin Henkes on almost every page and is an excellent choice for early elementary grades, for readers ready for a short novel, and for family and classroom read-alouds.
Kevin Henkes is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. As an illustrator he won the Caldecott Medal for Kitten's First Full Moon (2004). Two of his books were Newbery Medal Honor Books, Olive's Ocean in 2004 and The Year of Billy Miller in 2014. His picture book Waiting was named both a 2016 Caldecott Honor Book and a Geisel Honor Book. It was only the second time any author has won that combination of awards.
Another masterpiece from Henkes, on the order of Ramona the Brave. Similarly, Sal and Ramona must learn to get along with a first-grade teacher who comes off as dry and dull. As in the first Sal book, poor Sal is really going through it in a fairly compressed time period. Over and over, things happen to teach her that she is not the center of the world after all -- a tough developmental lesson everybody needs to learn.
I loved the careful contrast of Sal's view of the fairy lights and little Poppy's view, and her understanding of how they are different. Kevin Henkes captures the intense interior lives of children breathtakingly well yet again.
I really enjoy the Miller family books – they feel very authentic to childhood fears and thought processes, and showcase a warm and loving family without being saccharine.
Love!!! What a sweet, kind story of a young girl facing small disappointments that feel huge for little humans as well as new beginnings. This is an empathetic look at everyday life events children go through: new teachers, haircuts, sharing a room with your toddler sister, using your imagination to play. There are such sweet adult characters who let the children think, feel their feelings, and express themselves. This would be such a great family read-a-loud. I’m definitely going to read the other stand-alone books in the series!
The Sal books are delightful. Henkes really understands the things that are hard for children and takes them appropriately seriously. First grade is hard! Friendships changing is hard! Not getting the teacher you wanted is hard! There's a deep respect for the concerns of children in these books. Gentle, sweet, and would be a great readaloud for younger (preschool or kindergarten) readers.
Totally enjoyed Sal and her family. They remind me of Ramona Quimby. If you grew up reading Beverly Cleary books Kevin Henkes has the updated version for young readers of today. 💜💜
Richie’s Picks: STILL SAL by Kevin Henkes, HarperCollins/Greenwillow, October 2024, 256p., ISBN: 978-0-06-338962-5
“It was just my imagination running away with me” — Whitfield & Strong (1971)
“If only the ideas in your head actually happened in real life.”
I loved first grade! Sixty-three autumns ago, I began first grade at Fern Place School. It was a fun and notable school year. Most importantly, I started reading independently (and haven’t stopped since). Miss Kalish was a young, idealistic teacher who, two summers later, attended the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, saw Dr. King deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech, and raced over to tell me all about it on the morning of my first day in third grade.
The question is, will Sal (NOT Sally!) Miller experience a similarly successful year despite the twin catastrophes of having her best friend end up in the OTHER first grade classroom, and the indignity of suddenly having to share her bedroom with her toddling little sister Poppy?
(Readers of Henkes’ first Miller family tale, the wonderful Newbery Honor book, THE YEAR OF BILLY MILLER, may recall Billy having his own challenges about Sal coming along.)
“Sal didn’t move. She was irritated. Of course Papa knew what was wrong. ‘Sal?’ ‘I’m not Sal anymore,’ said Sal. ‘Who are you?’ asked Papa. ‘’I’m somebody whose name doesn’t even matter because she has been tricked. She was a person who had a room of her own, and I–whoever I am–don’t.’ ‘You’re still Sal,’ said Papa. ‘Always will be. And you still have a room. You just have to share it with your lovable, adorable, unbelievingly charming little sister.’ Papa wiggled one eyebrow, which usually made Sal laugh. It didn’t make her laugh now. Sal listened to Papa’s explanations for the hundredth time. Poppy was too big for her crib. Poppy was ready to move out of Mama and Papa’s room. Poppy was ready for a big girl bed. ‘And it’s going well, don’t you think?’ asked Papa. ‘You’ve had two nights together.’ He paused. are ‘When I was a kid, I shared a room with Uncle Jake, you know. And he snored. Boy, did he snore. So it could be worse.’”
Kevin Henkes has a real gift for understanding and writing about the thoughts, fears, and frustrations so many little kids experience.
The (now four) Miller family tales are great fun, provide thought-provoking situations that plenty of young audiences will relate to, and are just right for new readers transitioning from the leveled easy readers to middle grade chapter books.
First sentence: "You're embarrassing me," Sal said to her father. Her voice squeaked with emotion. Papa had been singing. He stopped. He glanced around the kitchen. "It's just us," he said. "How can I be embarrassing you?" "Well," said Sal, "then you're practicing for when you'll embarrass me later."
Premise/plot: Still Sal is the sequel to Oh, Sal. Oh, Sal is the spin-off of Kevin Henkes' The Year of Billy Miller. Sal, our heroine, is now six (Poppy, her younger sister, is two; Billy, her older brother, is ten) and preparing for the first day of first grade. She has a vision, a plan, she knows exactly how she wants first grade to go. Fortunately-unfortunately, things don't go according to plan. She's in the "wrong" class with the "wrong" teacher and separated from her neighbor-friend, Griff. Meanwhile at home, Sal is having to learn how to share her room with Poppy who has graduated to a big-girl bed. Sal's struggles are super realistic.
My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I loved Oh, Sal and Still Sal so much--much more than The Year with Billy Miller. I love the emotional life of the character. The problems or obstacles that Sal faces are realistic and relatable. The writing and characterization are great.
Henkes' newest addition to the Miller Family saga is a thoughtful look at change.
Sal is ready for first grade. She has high expectations, but things have been rough at home. Her two-year-old sister, Poppy has been moved into Sal’s bedroom. Sal resents having to share her room with Poppy. Then on the first day of school she and best friend, Griffen, are placed in different first grade classrooms. Griffen’s teacher is Ms. Flowers; she is really creative and very pretty. Sal’s teacher, Mrs. McCormickis old enough to be a grandmother! Griff is already making new friends in his class. Sal is angry about all of this. She sets out to make Ms. Flowers notice her and move Sal into her class.
Henkes ‘s characters are very well developed. The reader is privy to all of Sal's emotions. The family dynamics are well portrayed. Change is not easy for Sal and she isn’t handling it well. The plot moves smoothly with moments of humor as well as poignancy. This book is aimed at second to fourth graders who can look back at themselves at that age.
This novel would make a great class read or read aloud. Fans of realistic fiction will enjoy the story.
I Recommend this novel for school and public libraries serving grades second through fifth.
Kevin Henkes, though best known for his picture books, has a gift for writing chapter books that center on the everyday small struggles and crises that seem big to young children. Still Sal is part of a series of books about the Miller family but stands fully on its own. Sal is dealing with a lot of changes in her life. She is excited about starting First Grade but deeply disappointed by not getting the teacher she wanted, not being able to use her own special school supplies, and not being in the same classroom as her best friend, while also having to contend with newly sharing her bedroom with her little sister. These large crises loom large and she makes some missteps as she struggles through them, but, as in all Kevin Henkes' books, she is surrounded by loving grown-ups and finds her way through them. Though potentially a daunting size for the target audience, Sal and her troubles are completely relatable for young readers and listeners. For this adult, I was brought right back to my own early school years and the little crises that loomed large in my life at that time.
This is a charming, funny, and wise book about what it’s like to be a sensitive person in a world where everything is changing so fast it’s hard to keep track of who you are. For new first grader Sal, these changes include a new teacher, new classmates, a new haircut, a new toddler roommate at home, and a thousand new reasons for feeling embarrassed, sad, and mad, but also surprised, curious, and happy. Teachers and parents will find Still Sal especially useful for helping children learn to identify their own emotions. Henkes shows us how feelings come and go like a blue jay perching briefly on a branch and then fluttering off to somewhere else. The book’s design is a pleasure, with Henkes’s illustrations scattered throughout to emphasize the ordinary things—pancakes, a school nametag, lip balm, a droopy bouquet—that become extraordinary to Sal as she thinks and feels her way to a new sense of herself.
I would have given this five stars on my first read, but now that I’ve read it again ( I love to re-read!) there are a few things I am confused by. One is that in this book especially Sal seems younger than her actual age, a first grader, and more like a preschooler. She’s just a little bit odd. Her obsession with the other first grade teacher seems a little creepy. And for a five year old ( I think ) with a wonderful family and a best friend, she’s rarely ever happy. That just seems kind of weird. This may seem like a three star but I really did enjoy reading from her perspective, and reading from the view of a younger kid was a refreshing change. Two more notes, though: why was her dad literally always baking? And, why is her two year old sister always talking in nearly full sentences? Other than that I liked the book, just not as much as Oh Sal, which was a delight. I’m sorry if this review made your head spin 😅
I received an electronic ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books through NetGalley. The Miller family is back as several changes occur. Poppy has moved into Sal's room and Sal is struggling with sharing. Plus, she is starting first grade and discovers Griff and she are in separate classrooms. Readers see how much she wants to be in the other classroom so is miserable the first few days of school. When an older student makes her cry, she comes inside and has a lovely exchange with her teacher. Sal realizes how lucky she is in her class too and her attitude changes. Young readers will connect with the emotions and challenges Sal feels as a new school year begins. Henkes is a master of sharing heartfelt stories about this age group. It's been a joy to spend time with Billy's younger sister and see Sal bloom in her own tales.
Sal has high hopes and big dreams for first grade. But there are lots of changes going on - she has to share a room with her little sister, Poppy and she's not happy about that. Billy is walking the neighbor's dog and making money and she's not happy about that either. But there are more disappointments in her future. She learns that she won't have Ms. Flowers as her teacher and that she won't be in 1A with her best friend Griff. Instead - she is in 1B with Ms. McCormick as her teacher. Sal is devastated. But she has schemes to change her unhappy situation. Spoiler - the situations don't change but Sal does!
I really enjoy reading the books about the Miller family. They are just "slice of life" books - for a middle class family living in the suburbs with mom as a teacher and dad as a stay-at-home artist.
Sal has been looking forward to first grade for a long time. But her excitement quickly turns to disappointment when she learns that her best friend, Griff, is in the other first-grade classroom and has the most popular teacher. Then Sal’s name is spelled wrong on her name tag, she trips in front of the cool fifth graders, and her self-portrait doesn’t turn out the way she wanted it to. In fact, everything about school is an absolute disaster. Poor Sal! Luckily for Sal, she has understanding parents, a terrific new teacher, and empathetic friends who remind her that it takes time to adjust to change. And sure enough, after a few days, Sal feels like herself again. Still Sal highlights themes of family, friendship, social and emotional growth, resilience, and adapting to change."--
Get ready to sympathize with Sal, because her first-grade dreams are crumbling faster than a stale cookie! This isn't the sunshine and rainbows she imagined. Imagine finally reaching a milestone – first grade! – only to discover your best buddy is MIA (in another classroom!). Top that with a teacher who's...well, not as popular, a name tag massacre, a disastrous face-plant in front of the cool kids, and a self-portrait that screams "Picasso-gone-wrong!" It's a recipe for a first-grade freakout! This book perfectly captures the rollercoaster of emotions that come with new beginnings, and you'll be rooting for Sal to turn her disastrous start into a triumphant tale. Will she conquer first grade after all? You'll have to read to find out!
Listed as A Miller Family Story because Sal is the little sister of Billy Miller as in “The Year of Billy Miller” and “Billy Miller Makes a Wish”. And this is as gentle a story as those with, again, a bit of a crisis – in this one 6 yo Sal has not been assigned the first-grade teacher her best friend, Griff got. And Sal is not happy especially when she sees how cool Ms. Flowers is compared to her teacher, Ms. McCormick. The relationship between the parents and the children – including the youngest Miller, 2 yo Poppy and Billy who is now 10 – is wonderful as Sal learns how to deal with her first-grade issue. There are lessons in the plot, but not terribly heavy-handed.
Once again, Kevin Henkes magically encapsulates the uneasiness of a middle child trying to navigate the first days of school when everything seems pitted against her. Henkes' use of dialogue, very real scenarios elementary students face with anxiety and performance and friendships, as well as family support and relationships is nicely wrapped up in this latest installment of following the Miller family. I saw a bit of myself in Sal. A people pleaser. I certainly hope we get more books on the Miller family. They're endearing- and I predict, timeless.
First grade didn’t turn out as great as Sal had imagined. She and her best friend were placed in different classrooms, and Sal ended up with a less popular teacher. To make matters worse, her name tag was misspelled, and she embarrassingly tripped in front of a group of cool fifth graders. Her confidence took a serious hit. The rest of the story follows Sal as she learns that things aren’t as bad as they seem. "Still Sal," explores themes of friendship, personal growth, and adapting to changes, making it a perfect pick for young readers transitioning to short novels or for reading aloud.
Kevin Henkes got it right! As a former first grade teacher, I know how first graders think, feel, and react. Sal, not Sally, envies her bestie's teacher, Ms. Flowers who wear red shoes, a measuring tape belt, and has curly hair, just like Sal. Sal got stuck with Ms. McCormack, who wrote Sally on her name tag and did not distribute first day of school treats and gifts. I wonder if "Papa," who is an artist is based on Kevin? Worthy addition to the Miller family books.
Sal (Billy Miller's younger sister) is very excited to be starting first grade. Unfortunately, nothing goes as expected on the first few days. Sal's ups and downs are very relatable for early elementary students. This would make a great read aloud for the beginning of the school year or suggested reading the summer before first grade. Highly recommended for grades K & up.
Picked this up at the library without realizing that it was a companion book to the Billy Miller books. Sal, his little sister, gets her own story here as she starts kindergarten. It's well done -- with the woes of a new teacher, your friend in a different class, and drawing a self-portrait.
Craft note: This is in the gray zone between a first chapter book and middle grade, with illustrations. Reads like a Ramona book, although I was surprised to see default whiteness in all the characters.
Neither this nor the Billy books appeal to me. I try to be objective but nothing flows. Sal seems more like a preschool student to me. In an attempt to simplify language it seems wooden. And why is the dad always in the kitchen? It seems like an attempt to show diversity and equality but is overdone.
I love almost every other book that Henkes has written so I would say I’m a big fan, just not of these.
Henkes continues the story of first grader Sal and her family. I continue to be amazed at how perfectly Henkes gets into the mind of a small child. Sal is over the moon excited to start "real school", but her first day anticipation is ruined when she is separated from her friend Griff and assigned to the classroom with the older, less exciting teacher. The highs and lows of life in first grade are portrayed perfectly. This would make a great read aloud too.
The only reason I gave this a three instead of a four star rating is because I’m not sure who this book is intended for. Many 1st grade students could not read this large chapter book, and I don’t think older students would be interested in a book about a first grader. I think it’s a book a parent or teacher would choose for a read aloud.
EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus How wonderful to join the Miller family again as Sal is now ready to start first grade. These stories are a great choice for advanced young readers and this latest addition would make a good read aloud with first graders.
Read an e-arc from NetGalley. Sal is starting first grade and ready to love it. But she finds out that her friend Griff will be in the other class. Sal convinces herself that she belongs in the other first grade class, with Ms. Flowers, and she spends a lot of energy trying to make that happen.
1st grade is something Sal is looking forward to, until she begins her first day. With a supportive family and a best friend, things begin to change for Sal-not for the better. With the main character being a first grader I’m not sure who the audience is for this chapter book.
👧🏻 review: I read almost all Kevin Henkes’ children and some middle-grader level books. I enjoyed all the books especially the Billy Miller series, so when I found this on our TBR pile. I like this book because the author could tell the story like it’s his own life.
Sal expects to love being in first grade, but things don't turn out like she expects them to. She experiences a range of emotions as she adjusts to the changes.