First Day Jitters

Mrs. Hartwell's Classroom Adventures

by Julie Danneberg, Judy Love (Illustrator)

Everyone knows that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach just before diving into a new situation. Sarah Jane Hartwell is scared and doesn't want to start over at a new school. She doesn't know anybody, and nobody knows her. It will be awful. She just knows it. With much prodding from Mr. Hartwell, Sarah Jane reluctantly pulls herself together and goes to school. She is quickly befriended by Mrs. Burton, who helps smooth her jittery transition. This charming and familiar story will delight readers with its surprise ending.

Fun, energetic illustrations brighten page after page with the busy antics surrounding Sarah Jane. FIRST DAY JITTERS is an enchanting story that is sure to be treasured by anyone who has ever anticipated a first day of school.

Genres: Picture Books, School, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Back To School, Fiction, Humor

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story. In First Day Jitters, Sarah Jane Hartwell doesn’t want to get out of bed to go to school on the first day. Mr. Hartwell finally convinces her to get up, have breakfast and head off to school. He drives her and she is met by the principal who takes her to her classroom.

The author, Julie Danneberg, writes this book in a way that leaves the reader surprised at the end of the story when it is revealed that Sarah is actually the teacher. The illustrations by Judy Love, are also done in a way that Sarah’s face is never revealed until the end of the book when she is introduced to the class. I loved the illustrations, they are colourful, full of action (the pets trying to get her out of bed are wonderful) and kids will relate to them well.

Children of all ages would enjoy the surprise at the end of the story. I am a retired teacher and I know that my colleagues would enjoy the humor of this book, and relate to it more than we know. This would be a great read aloud book to share with students on the first day of school. It would give teachers the opportunity to share their worries and concerns about the first day of school. This gives students the chance to see their teachers in a different light, we don't live in or sleep at the school, and we have similar feelings at the beginning the new school year.

This is a great book to be in all school libraries as well as classroom libraries or teacher resource rooms. A great opportunity to talk about emotions and ways to deal with them. I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Steve Holden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I began my 10th year in education today with a new classroom full of eager, excited, and nervous second graders. This story is a wonderful one to connect the feelings of students and teachers alike as a new journey of a school year begins on the very first day. I love connecting the feeling and sentiment offered in this book to my students as we always begin. This is certainly a classic book and a perfect one for any student at the beginning of a new school year.

[Tracy Schillemore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't entirely sure about the value of this book until I got to the end. This is definitely a cute book to start the school year. The children will get a kick out of it.

[Bree Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t see that ending coming!
Adorable book about the nervousness of the first day of school with an unexpected point of view revealed at the end.

[Krickette❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful storybook! A book for teachers to read to children/classes of all grade school ages (even for parents to read to their children before school starts to calm some nerves.) A PERFECT first day of school read! A short read with wonderful illustrations to read to your new class. It allows children to make an instant connection with their new teacher on the first day of school.

This book provides an insight and a clever way to connect to human emotion and nerves that everyone feels, no matter how old you are. It is a shared emotion that makes us all human. What a great way to start a new school year-making everyone feel connected and at home. This is an endearing story, The First Day Jitters, that should be a part of the first day of school toolbox of all teachers. It also has a wonderful, silly twist in the end! A definite must read!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Day Jitters is full of interesting, colorful, and vivid illustrations. Sarah Jane Hartwell is a relateable character that decides she does not want to go to a new school on the very first day of the school year. Through discussions and arguements with her father, Sarah is convinced that her attendance is mandatory, despite her fears and hesitations. The fears of Sarah Jane, and many fears other people may have on their first day of school, are described throughout the story and resolved with a humorous surprise at the end.

This book can be used as a reflective tool for student's entering their own first day of school. With the fears of Sarah Jane clearly detailed and described, many children will have no problem relating to these feelings. By using this interactive story in the classroom, a teacher can help students express their feelings towards the first day of school, and help conquer their fears. Along with relating the character to students, teachers can use the surprise at the end of the story to explain to children that the same fears and feelings can be held by adults as well, and even teachers.

I thought the end of the story was an enthralling surprise, and I was able to relate to the character and the theme. I was struck by the amount of detail put into each illustration within the story, and how each page could be used to involve children within the story. The main characters' picture is never shown in any of the illustrations, except for the very last one. I think this technique can also be useful in drawing student participation when reading the story. Student's will find this fun, and it will help teacher's be creative in stretching out the message this colorful story gives.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

You think the book will go one way, but it completely takes a turn on the very last page. I read to students every-day, and I know they would love this. Everyone can relate to having the first day jitters. :)

[Glenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about me today! I loved the surprise ending.

[Anna Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book, First Day Jitters, Sarah doesn’t want to get out of bed to go to the first day of school. Sarah’s father finally convinces her to get up and begin the day. After Sarah arrives at school, the reader finds out that Sarah is actually the teacher. The author, Julie Danneberg, brilliantly writes this book in a way that leaves the reader surprised at the end of the story when it is revealed that Sarah is actually the teacher. The illustrations are also done in a way that Sarah’s face is never revealed until the end of the book when she walks into the school to begin her teaching day. Children of all ages would enjoy the surprise at the end of the story. I think teachers would also enjoy the humor of this book, and probably relate to it more than we know. This would be a great read aloud book to share with students on the first day of school. It would offer an opportunity for the teacher to share his/her worries about the first day of school, and for the students to see their teacher as a person with similar feelings that they may be having beginning the school year.

[Anne Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely delightful book about a little girl who's more than a little apprehensive about embarking on her first day at her new school. The illustrations are charming; cat and dog follow their mistress around the house, and even in the car to the dreaded journey to school! The text is caring, showing youngsters that "first day jitters" are normal, and there's a wonderful surprise ending as well. Highly recommended!

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to start the year! Love the ending!

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah Jane Hartwell is too anxious and reluctant to go the first day at her new school, but Mr. Hartwell nags and coaxes and drives her there just in time for the start of a classroom adventure sure to put a smile on readers' faces.

[Shelle Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Jane Hartwell does not want to go to the first day of school. She is new and she doesn’t know anyone. Mr. Hartwell does a good job to convince her to get moving anyway, and a meeting with the principal when she gets to school helps to smooth the way to a delightfully fun ending.

Everyone, at some point, has felt this way about the first day whether they were new or not. Danneberg has a witty talent for capturing the classroom in a way that makes it accessible and fun for kids and parents alike. It should be noted that the lovely twist at the end of this book had my 15-year-old guffawing for minutes, I can imagine how much fun second graders could have with it. As always Judy Love’s brilliantly colorful illustrations, that perfectly express the dynamics and energy of students and teacher alike, take the story to a new level of enjoyment for the reader.

Let's talk more about kid's books at I Read Kid's Book Journal

[معصومه توکلی · Rating 4 out of 5]

غافلگیری صفحه آخرش عالی بود. باید جلدهای بعدی اش را هم بخوانم...

[Madeline Weisner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending of this book was a major plot twist for me. I wasn’t even expecting it! I was like how does the principal know her name but it is because she is a teacher too! Her dad waking her up at her age warmed my heart

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh! I am so glad that I went into this blind from a stack of random picture-books. I wonder if I can find the sequels....

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story! I loved the surprise at the end!

I will be adding this book to my library!

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brrrrrruh 🚬
انتظار هر چیزی رو داشتم غیر از این :)))))))

[Autumn Knierim · Rating 4 out of 5]

even though I had a class full of seventh graders, they still were able to connect and bond over this book!! such a fun book to start the school year with!

[Katelyn Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to read on the first day of school to help kids feel more comfortable in a new classroom with a new teacher and classmates :)

[Clare Stakey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to my students on the first day of my leave replacement. I love the twist at the end!

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun book because everyone on the planet can relate: a parent, a student, a teacher or a principal understands those emotions completely. The first day of school is exciting but also can be very scary. Everyone finds it hard to sleep the night before and they try to imagine in their head all night long what that first day will look like.

Will the teacher be nice? Will the kids accept me and be my friends? Will I miss my bus or .... horrors of horrors.... forget my lunch on the kitchen counter? Is what I chose to wear the right thing so I'll look cool? Is my backpack stuffed and ready to go? And on and on and on....... all these things swirl around over an over again as the alarm is anticipated every five minutes and your first day starts calling you forth.

Sarah Jane does not want to get up and head off and she pulls her covers back over her head and refuses to budge. She finally is lured from her hideaway and encouraged to eat a piece of toast, grab her lunch pail and head off into the wonderful world of first day jitters. She still is relucant and slumps down in the car en route trying to disappear into thin air once again.

She is met by the principal of the school and escorted to her classroom where a gaggle of students are anxiously awaiting her arrival. How will she be received? Will her jitters overcome her? Maybe she should have stayed home in bed. This book is humorous and extremely witty. The illustrations are just fantastic, full of detail, emotion and action. They were a great sell for me purchasing the book for myself. I truly loved them. Suspense is created as the reader turns each page because the true identity of Sarah Jane is not fully disclosed until the very end of the book. The unexpected twist that culminates the story will bring a great chuckle to readers of all ages.

I used this book when I was teaching in every grade: from Kindergarten through grades 7 and 8. Each time I read it aloud to my class, the kids enjoyed it immensely and we all had a great laugh because the characters portrayed in the book were....us!! Highly recommended.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: Everyone's nervous on the first day of school, right? But that doesn't mean you get to skip it! Follow Sarah in her struggle to get the motivation to get to her first day at school.
Evaluation: This simple book is great for lower grades. It is easy to add voices and use appropriate tone. It can easily be used as a book to practice student reading fluency because the words aren't too hard.
Teaching Idea: You could use this text for lower grades to help teach summarizing stories in the simplest form using the Five W's (who, what, when, where, and why). Read the story aloud. Assign students certain W words to look for and come together whole group and fill out a Five W's graphic organizer together. More self sufficient learners can turn these summarizing points into a paragraph.

[Chloe Gough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you looking for a book that’s perfect for the 1st day of school? First Day Jitters by Julie Dannenberg is the perfect pick for students and teachers. Follow Sarah Jane Hartwell through her morning as she finds herself feeling anxious about the 1st day of school. After numerous attempts to not leave the house, Sarah Jane is convinced by Mr. Hartwell to go to school. Once she arrives at school, she is met by the principal, revealing that she is a teacher and not a student! Visit your local bookstore today to pick up this great story that tells students that everyone gets nervous for the first day of school!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about Sarah, who is very nervous about her first day at her new school. Sarah's father has to make her get out of bed and get ready so he can drive her to school. He tries to comfort her as she explains that she hates her new school already because she does not know anyone. At the end of the book, once Sarah gets to school, she is introduced as a new teacher.

I really enjoyed First Day Jitters. The illustrations are very colorful and interesting, and Sarah is in many of the pictures, but her face is not shown until the end. This would be fun for kids to look back on after they know the ending. The book shows children that it's okay and natural to be nervous about the first day of school, and it's very easy to relate to.

This would be a great book for teachers to read to young students on their first day. I would definitely read it and let the children know that, as their teacher, I was nervous, too! This is especially good for the first day of school because it's a great way to let your students get to know you and become more comfortable around you.

[Bridget]

The first day at a new school is always a frightening experience. In this story, Sarah does not want to go to school. Mr. Hartwell eventually gets Sarah to get out of bed, eat breakfast, and go to school. With the beautiful illustrations, the pictures do not tell how old Sarah is. It is revealed at the end of the story that Sarah is the new teacher. First Day Jitters shows children that they may not be the only ones nervous about a new school or the first day of school. The teachers often are also apprehensive because they are meeting the same number of new people that the students are.

[Janina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a character named Sarah who is terribly nervous about the first day at her new school. She worries about not knowing anyone and the challenges that lay ahead. With much support though she is finally ready for her first day. I loved this book. It was so cute and the ending was fantastic. I will definitely have this in my class library. I can see this book being used on the first day of class to calm the nerves of not just the students, but the teacher as well. It's a good way to show kids that we all get nervous and it' okay.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

We saw this book at our local library after a magic program for the kids. Our youngest stated that she'd already read it (or had it read to her) in school, but that it was very good and she wanted to read it again.

We really enjoyed this tale of a reticent Sarah who doesn't want to go to school on the first day. I saw the twist at the end a mile away, but our oldest was quite surprised. The narrative is fun and the illustrations are colorful, expressive and nicely realistic. It's a fun story for a new school year.

[Ellon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this one before but I wanted to reread before reading the new Valentine's Day Jitters. I've always loved First Day Jitters. It's so fun and kids love the surprise at the end. I think I also love it because my husband has to have the same convo with me that Mr. Hartwell has to have with Sarah Jane. :)

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic book about the first day of school.