Goodbye Brings Hello: A Book of Firsts

by Dianne White, Daniel Wiseman

Overview

Like Bernie Waber's COURAGE and Davis' KINDERGARTEN ROCKS!, this inspiring, vibrantly illustrated gift book is perfect for celebrating life's milestones, both great and small—especially that first day of kindergarten.

There are many ways of letting go. 
With each goodbye, a new hello.
  
From being pushed on a swing to learning how to pump your legs yourself, from riding a beloved trike to mastering your first bike ride, from leaving the comforts of home behind to venturing forth on that first day of school, milestones are exciting but hard. They mean having to say goodbye to one moment in order to welcome the next.   
  
Honest and uplifting, this cheerfully illustrated ode to change gently empowers readers to brave life's milestones, both large and small.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780544798755
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/26/2018
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,169,543
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Dianne is the author of BLUE ON BLUE, illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Beth Krommes which received four starred reviews and was also named a Boston Globe Best Picture Book of 2014 and an Amazon Best Books of the Year 2014 (ages 3-5), among others. Dianne makes her home in Arizona and holds an elementary bilingual teaching credential and a Master's in Language and Literacy. In 2007, she received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. For more on Dianne, please visit diannewrites.com and on Twitter @diannewrites.

Daniel Wiseman remembers saying goodbye to the training wheels on his bike, and saying a great big hello to skinned knees and elbows. But the freedom of rolling on two wheels was well worth the bumps and bruises. He still rides his (slightly larger) bike almost every day.  Daniel loves to draw, and has illustrated several books for children. He lives in Knoxville, Tennessee where he enjoys his life of making pictures, riding bikes, and spending time with the best family anyone could ask for! Visit him at danieldraws.com and on Instagram @d_wiseman.

Editorial Reviews

White…and Wiseman…keep the tone encouraging and gentle, offering a chance for even the youngest kids to indulge their nostalgia.

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

"White and Wiseman have created an engaging set of vignettes that will appeal to young listeners in the process of learning new skills."--Booklist "This book will give courage to any child feeling a little nervous or scared to try something new."--Kirkus "The brightly colored, naive-style illustrations add a cheerful positivity to the book."--School Library Journal —

From the Publisher

05/01/2018
PreS-K—This ode to growing up follows a diverse group of preschoolers as they change and learn in the days leading up to their first day of school. One by one, the kids are shown learning new skills such as tying shoes, riding a two-wheel bike, or learning to swim. Others are shown experiencing firsts such as getting a haircut and flying on an airplane. The ending shows the individual kids coming together at the bus stop for their first day of school. The rhyming text lends itself to being read aloud. On a spread showing a girl trying on shoes with laces, the text reads, "Loop the laces. Knot the bows. So long, Velcro-covered toes." The brightly colored, naive-style illustrations add a cheerful positivity to the book. The expressions on the children's faces change from uncertainty, fear, or determination to proud smiles with their accomplishments. VERDICT While there is no shortage of first day of school books or books about childhood milestones, this title combines the topics in a simple, upbeat way. A good addition for larger collections.—Kimberly Tolson, Millis Public Library, MA

School Library Journal

2018-03-18
A book of firsts and transitions for young kids growing up and becoming more independent.As the seasons change, White and Wiseman follow many diverse children as they experience new changes in their lives. It begins in autumn with a small white child who learns to swing independently by pumping. During winter, a black child says goodbye to an outgrown sweater and hello to a new coat. In the spring, a ponytailed white child says goodbye to an old "preschool trike" and hello to a "big-kid bike." Summer brings great splashes in the pool. Finally, autumn comes back around, bringing new haircuts, shoes with laces, and first days of school. Written in rhyme, the text is short, making it engaging and accessible to young children. The illustrations are simple—some so casual as to look almost like colored doodles. Wiseman leaves the matte backgrounds plain but adds color and details to the characters, bringing them into focus. There is humor: An Asian child with glasses and a huge tuft of snarly hair is initially grumpy about a haircut but smiles at the result. Even though the text is short and illustrations are simple, both are sweet, and this book will give courage to any child feeling a little nervous or scared to try something new.A great read-aloud for any child going through early life changes. (Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews