I was looking at Kane Miller's newest offerings and saw that I'd missed a Bunting book! Philip Bunting's subtly comic illustrations, sometimes combined with words from Laura Bunting, sometimes with nonfiction musings of his own, are always a fun treat.
This picture book features a range of Australian animals in a pseudo-guide for new students. Kids are told to get a good breakfast, illustrated by two contrasting sequences. In one, a koala eats a bowl of "Delicious Gum flakes" and has energy to play, learn, and be active all day. In the other, the koala eats an ice cream cone and quickly winds of flat on their side. This is especially hilarious when you know that koalas spend most of the day sleeping anyways!
There are tips on interacting with your teacher (hint - do not eat the teacher) and what to do if you miss home, using the bathroom (do not leave blocks of poop in the, well, blocks!) and how to make friends (sniffing is not recommended.)
There are jokes for caregivers included, like the little koala who can't think of anything that happened that day... until bedtime! And the Buntings' tongue-in-cheek humor is very much in evidence. It's a little tricky to figure out the right audience for this. While it purports to be for first-time students, I don't think preschoolers will really grasp most of the story. Older kids are unlikely to need or want reminders to talk to their teacher if they need help or practice good listening (which isn't to say that they don't need them!). I think this is most suited to one-on-one reading and discussion with a younger child and as a funny classroom read with some gentle hints for older kids returning to school.
Verdict: While there are a lot of back to school books that are likely to be higher on the teacher request list than this, if you have room in your budget I would recommend purchasing it for some comic relief and as a story that adults, as well as kids, will enjoy.
ISBN: 9781684646081; Hardcover/Picture book on Baker & Taylor for $15.19
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