Play Day School Day

by Toni Yuly

Overview

A younger sibling’s curiosity about school opens up a world of possibilities in this ode to the great outdoors.

Tomorrow is the first day of the new school year, and big sister Mona can’t wait to go back. “What do you do at school?” asks little brother Milo. As he listens to Mona recount the many things she does during the school week — riding the bus, practicing spelling and reading, learning about science, playing with friends — Milo’s activities illustrate that with a little imagination, nature itself can be a classroom. With delightfully naive artwork and a spare text, Toni Yuly shows that learning is play and vice versa, offering a gentle introduction to school for children who are just starting and a warm celebration for those who are going back.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536202830
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	06/09/2020
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 10.94(h) x 0.34(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Toni Yuly is the author-illustrator of the picture books Thank You, Bees; The Whole Wide World and Me; The Jelly Bean Tree; Cat Nap; Night Owl; and Early Bird. After many years as a librarian, she now dedicates herself to designing, painting, and writing all day. Toni Yuly lives in Bremerton, Washington.

Editorial Reviews

A tender tale just right for those returning to school to share with their own younger siblings.
—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2020-05-17
An elementary-age student shares what school is like with a younger sibling.

It’s the day before school starts again for Mona, who’s excited. When Milo asks what school is like, Mona briefly lists what goes on there while the two use the outside world to act the activities out. Mona pulls Milo in a red wagon to simulate riding a school bus. Milo practices reading and writing by weaving flowers into a chain-link fence to spell M-I-L-O. When Mona talks about learning science, Milo (and readers) looks closely at the denizens of the yard, and the siblings ponder a sunflower and some birds in the sky when the topic of math is mentioned. Art and music see Milo drumming with sticks on an upturned bucket while Mona dances. The final spreads cap this charming day. “School sounds fun!” Milo opines. “It is,” Mona agrees, adding, “And so is playing with you.” Yuly’s artwork uses bold primary colors and chunky shapes against a white background to keep the focus on the sibling interactions. Both children have pink skin; Mona has long red braids while Milo has scribbly brown hair and glasses. A black cat joins in on their adventure, and tiny details in the otherwise uncluttered, simple illustrations will delight. Short sentences and easy vocabulary make this one emerging readers can tackle on their own.

A tender tale just right for those returning to school to share with their own younger siblings. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews

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