It's Your First Day of School, Busy Bus!

by Jody Jensen Shaffer, Claire Messer (Illustrations)

It’s the first day of school! But is Busy Bus ready? Find out in this darling picture book that showcases the excitement and worries little ones experience as they prepare for their first day.

Today is the very first day of school! Busy Bus is excited, but he also has some first-day jitters. Will the children like him? Will he be homesick? What if he gets lost?! Luckily, bus driver Ben knows just what to do to make sure that the school year gets off to a great start.

Genres: Picture Books, School, Childrens, Back To School, Transport, Storytime, Buses

32 pages, Hardcover

Published July 3, 2018

About the author

Jody Jensen Shaffer is an award-winning poet and the author of more than 70 books of fiction and nonfiction for children, including PRUDENCE THE PART-TIME COW, a Missouri Show Me Award finalist for 2019-2020 and Missouri’s choice for the National Book Festival in 2017, A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK, nominee for the 2021-2022 Iowa Goldfinch Award, IT’S YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, BUSY BUS!, an Amazon best-seller and Amazon Prime Book Box pick for September 2019, EMERGENCY KITTENS!, WHO IS JACKIE CHAN? and more. Jody’s poetry and fiction have been published in magazines like Highlights, Ladybug, and Clubhouse Jr. Jody lives in Liberty, Missouri, with her family. When she’s not writing, Jody can be found spending time with family and walking her rescue dog, Sophie.

Reviews

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This takes a fun twist at the first day of school, while very gently giving those who might be afraid to ride the bus, a little encouragement.

Busy Bus is nervous and excited. Soon, it will be his first day to drive kids to school. Ben, the driver,
makes sure everything is ready, but when the moment arrives to leave, suddenly Busy Bus is more anxious than anything else.

Cute, short and easy to read, this book takes the first day of school from a 'young' bus' perspective. The first part of the book covers everything there is to know about a bus, while the driver, Ben, checks through things thoroughly. Young readers learn about all the things needed for a bus' safety—air pressure, fire extinguisher, emergency door, etc. About halfway through, the gears change, and Busy Bus becomes apprehensive about meeting the kids and actually driving to school the first time. First time school goers will sympathize immediately and watch as Busy Bus works his way through this fear.

The illustrations are simple, bright and done with a playful, splatter effect. The details are kept light but just enough to draw in younger listeners. The text is great for preschoolers and plays along with the illustrations to create a fun read aloud.

Those who love school buses and cars or are about to embark on their first day of preschool or kindergarten will enjoy this read.

I received a complimentary copy and we enjoyed learning about the bus so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids might have extra enjoyed this because their grandpa drives a bus. Now to verify with him if this is all accurate 😆

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the first day of school and Busy Bus goes through all of his safety inspection checks before picking up the children, but Busy Bus has first day jitters and worries.

[Amber Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Busy Bus is so excited for the first day of school. As his driver goes through all of the safety inspections to make sure he's ready, Busy Bus begins to wonder lots of things about his first day. He gets nervous and questions if anyone will even like riding with him or if the kids will even like him. He is able to work through it and have a great first day of school.
This will be a wonderful book to share the first week of school and even during a transportation study. The illustrations are engaging and fun and the author does an excellent job of helping the reader feel the worries and triumphs of Busy Bus.

[Kirsti Call · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Will the children have fun riding with me? Busy Bus wonders."

This book is perfect for kids who are just starting school. I love the anthropomorphism of Busy Bus and how he worries about the same things that kids worry about on their first day of school. "What if I get homesick? He worries. What if I don't make any friends?"

Bright, lively illustrations enhance sparse text sprinkled with onomatopoeia. This book that will evoke discussion about first day of school jitters and help kids understand that they aren't alone---even the bus worries sometimes!

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the first day of school for Busy Bus, but before he can leave the bus barn, Ben the bus driver must make sure everything is in tip-top shape before they pick up the school children. There are so many things to check, but Ben does each one step by step. Ben inspects Busy Bus's tires, fills him with gas, adjusts his mirrors, check his lights and his all important STOP arm, plus all the buttons and gauges on the dashboard. Busy Bus is set to go, but now he's feeling jittery - what if the kids don't like him? What if he gets homesick? Shaffer has managed to address a first day of school anxiety that many children have through Busy Bus - that of leaving home, getting on the school bus and going to school. This turned out to be a real favorite with my young readers, and even though most of my kids don't take a school bus, but this did get them taking about their first day of school. Ben's safety check reassured my kids, who are familiar with car dashboards, and it didn't take long for them know all the parts of the bus. The thing they were most curious about? The STOP arm. The lino print, ink, and digitally colored illustrations are big, bold, and brightly colored, with lots of white space around them. Busy Bus is certainly a hit.

[Pat Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The personified school bus has a smile on his face on the engaging cover that will draw in the preschool crowd for whom this book is intended. Readers meet Busy Bus in the Bus barn as Ben the driver greets all the busses. Busy Bus is wide awake, ready for the day, and excited to meet the children he'll pick up. Kids learn step by step what a school bus's life is like - getting gassed up, air in the tires checked, mirrors swiveled for safety (great vocab word for the youngest set), blinkers checked, emergency door, fire extinguisher, and first aid kit inspected, buttons and gauges on the dashboard checked, window washed. Who knew there was so much involved as a school bus prepares for its day. Children will resonate with Busy Bus's fears of whether the kids will like him and whether he'll have friends. Of course, he will. Sweet first day of school where school bus rides kids' typical means of getting to school.

[Tracy (The Pages In-Between) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon Kids #Partner for sending this cute book to my boys and I to read and review together. All opinions are our own.

Gavin Says, I like the School Bus!

Liam Says, I like the Bus Driver!

We all liked this fun story, about how Busy Bus gets ready for his first day of school, and the things he has to do to get ready, and to be safe and sound for all the kids he is going to be picking up. We liked how bright and cheerful the colors were, and how fun it was to read. It reads fairly fast, so if your kids are like mine, and make you read the same book over and over, in one sitting, than this is perfect for that. It's also going to be a great book for them to read alone once they start learning how to. I would say this book is perfect for kids ages 4-7

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If only all school buses were as well cared for as this one! Busy Bus's driver goes through a checklist to prepare the little school bus for his first day. Everything from checking the lights, tire pressure to the stop sign. Busy bus watches and helps, showing expression throughout-the wipers are cleverly used as eyebrows. The illustrations are cute, and the story good for school story times, or transportation. The focus is on preparing the bus before he leaves the bus barn, not on the children or their experience on the bus, but it may help children who have anxiety about riding a large bus without their adult to feel safe.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun, fresh look at the first day of school. In this book you follow Busy Bus and his driver as they get prepared for the first day of school and Busy Bus tries to calm his first day jitters. The sweet, gently textured illustrations add wonderful warmth to this book and it's main character. Kids who are fascinated by buses and other vehicles will be fascinated by how buses are readied for the day and all kids will empathize with Busy Bus's first day worries. A good book to have on your shelf each year before kids head to school. 

[Ricki · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have had so much fun with this book in our household. I read the book aloud, and my two sons act out the pages. Parents can substitute their children's names for the bus driver to add a layer of fun! Almost all of the bus books that exist feature busses with children already on them. I loved the concept of this book---the bus is preparing for the first day of school and is very nervous the children won't like him. This book is a must-have for bus-loving children, and it would make for a great first day of kindergarten read-aloud.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the Kid Lit Exchange network for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Another book birthday today! Perfect for preschoolers and kindergartners who are getting ready for a new school year, IT'S YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, BUSY BUS! takes some of the fear out of preparations for the big day. It ends, "Now Busy Bus is ready for his first day of school. He is safe. He is clean. He is loved." ❤️

[Cecilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciated the fact that this story was told from the bus's perspective. It was interesting to see a bus getting ready for school instead of a person. It was a VERY fresh take on the first day of school story. I really did love that aspect.

However, it is still just more school-positivity-propoganda. School sucks. It's always sucked and always will. Why are picture books never honest about that?

[Ashlyn Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It's Your First Day of School, Busy Bus!" would be a good book to add to a text set learning about transportation or the letter B. The text describes what the bus must do to be prepared for the first day of school and it could be a good opportunity to compare/contrast what a student must do to be ready for school. It describes the feelings bus feels before his busy, first day and it could ease a child's nerves.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could be paired with School's First Day of School. The bus driver checks the gas, horn, lights, and more to make sure the bus is ready for school. It also lets children know they will be safe riding on the bus.

[Mama Bearian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Busy Bus is so excited, it's time for his first day of school! Will the children like him? Will they know they're safe? All of his fears are addressed as his driver checks him over before the big day. This is a cute take on a first day of school book that is perfect for kiddos who might be nervous about riding the bus for the first time.

[Arissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so sweet, especially since my husband used to be a bus driver. I can see bus drivers reading it to their students on the first day to remind them that jitters are normal. Watch and learn all that the bus driver has to do before picking up the students.

[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 3 out of 5]

A picture book that will help young kids overcome their first day of school / riding the school bus for the time, jitters. Told from the buses point of view, kids will understand the emotions the bus goes through as he prepares to pick up kids to go to school for the first time.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

It could have been better. Busy Bus is worried about his first day of school and then seems to get over it very quickly without much talk. Doesn't seem super helpful to kids to are also worried about the first day of school.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first day of school from the perspective of a brand new school bus preparing for his first run. Interesting as we see the bus going through it’s safety checks. Love the big bold illustrations of the yellow bus.

[Debbie Tanner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a fun one to use at the beginning of school to get kids thinking about all the things that are needed to be ready to go to school. There's nice specific vocabulary about buses and some great onomatopoeia. It would be good to pair this one with School's First Day of School.

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

We’ve had a plethora of books about first day of school for young students, reluctant teachers, even the school building, now one for the beginner school bus. Favorite page is one picking up waiting students with their dog!

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a nice story, good for kids that are transitioning to using the school bus or a new grade, yet we found it to be a bit simple for my 5 year old, it didn’t excited him as much as other books. Maybe if we had bought it a year before it would have been one to love a bit more

[Alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet way to approach the first day of school (or anything new, really), that allows the child to manifest their feelings through the bus. There's all the normal fears: will they like me? Will I make friends? Will I be safe and have fun? And of course it's all ok.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kids might not think about/know what buses go through in getting ready to pick them up for the day. Now they will!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good going-to-kindergarten book with nice illustrations.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book your children's first day of school. It will help your child understand the big step going to school is.

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very basic "first day of school jitters" but told from the buses point of view. The illustration showing (as you go along) the apprehension on the face of the bus is a nice touch.

[kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

eh, okay