The First Day of School

by Larry Dane Brimner, John Bendall-Brunello (Illustrator)

Overview

Puppy is small and loves to play. Bear is big and feels grumpy. But the two unlikely friends soon become inseparable. All summer long they play hide-and-seek under the oak trees, fly down the lane on Bear's bike, and pretend to be pirates. Everything is perfect, until the weather cools down and the leaves start to change. Bear is suddenly too busy to play with Puppy. Now that Bear has started school, is he going to leave Puppy behind…forever? Award-winning author Larry Dane Brimner's gentle text and John Bendall-Brunello's warm illustrations combine in this memorable story of friendship.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781503950962
Publisher:	Amazon Publishing
Publication date:	07/18/2017
Series:	Puppy and Bear
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	781,019
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Larry Dane Brimner is the author of more than 160 books for young readers. His books have received many awards, including the Carter G. Woodson Award, the Robert F. Sibert Honor Book Award, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor, the NCTE Orbis Pictus Book Award Honor, and the Eureka! Gold and Silver state awards in California, among other accolades. Born in Florida, he taught at the high school and university levels in California for twenty years and now makes his home in both San Diego, California, and Tucson, Arizona. When he is not writing, he enjoys mountain biking, cooking, working with mosaic tile, and playing hide-and-seek with his schnauzer, Kubric. Learn more about the author at www.brimner.com.

Editorial Reviews

05/15/2017
Brimner (Trick or Treat, Old Armadillo) and Bendall-Brunello (Otter Out of Water) introduce two new friends whose happy summer of play comes to an end as Bear, who is older than Puppy, heads off to school. The book’s emotional tone doesn’t vary much: Bear starts out grouchy and bored, but Puppy quickly cheers him up, and that crankiness never returns; Puppy’s sadness over being left behind while Bear is at school is remedied with similar speed. Bendall-Brunello’s pencil-and-watercolor artwork brings a touch of anthropomorphism to the friends, and his tender scenes emphasize the closeness between the pals as they pretend to be pirates, share a bicycle, and splash around in a creek. It’s more a friendship story than a school one, but younger siblings should easily empathize with Puppy’s feelings of being left out. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Karen Grencik, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator’s agency: Shannon Associates. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"Bendall-Brunello's Puppy and Bear have marvelously expressive faces, and their play certainly looks like fun in the watercolor-and-colored pencil illustrations.…Fits the bill for readers whose own best buds have been lost to school." —Kirkus Reviews

 

"Bendall-Brunello's pencil-and-watercolor artwork brings a touch of anthropomorphism to the friends, and his tender scenes emphasize the closeness between the pals as they pretend to be pirates, share a bicycle, and splash around in a creek. It's more a friendship story than a school one, but younger siblings should easily empathize with Puppy's feelings of being left out." —Publishers Weekly

 

"Bear and Puppy's relationship may help children adjust to the childhood plight of missing a dear friend, whether [during] the school day or [for] other reasons." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

08/01/2017
PreS-Gr 1—Puppy happens upon Bear, bored and grouchy, sitting under a tree. Puppy convinces Bear to play, and the happiest of friendships begins. The friends play all summer long until one day Bear doesn't come to the forest. It is the first day of school and Bear does not want to be late. Puppy, saddened to lose his buddy to school, patiently waits for him. When Bear doesn't show up after school, the dog tries playing by himself and then takes a nap. Bear finds Puppy sleeping in the forest. He assures Puppy they are best friends and will play every day after school through all the seasons. Eventually, Puppy will be old enough to go to school, too. Softly washed illustrations in watercolor and pencil create an engagingly serene backdrop for Bear and Puppy's bond. All the characters in the book, including classmates in the schoolyard, are anthropomorphized animals in clothing complete with scarves and backpacks. The story is told in straightforward conversations between Bear and Puppy and omniscient point of view. VERDICT Bear and Puppy's relationship, may help children adjust to the childhood plight of missing a dear friend, whether to the school day or other reasons.—Mindy Hiatt, Salt Lake County Library Services

School Library Journal

2017-05-15
Exuberant Puppy and bored Bear meet one day under the gnarled oak, and from then on, they are the best of friends. But will school put an end to their friendship?Catch, chase, hide-and-seek, ear-flapping bike rides, plank-walking pirate adventures, and splashes in the creek—this duo does it all over the course of a marvelous summer. But then one morning Bear doesn't come to the oak to play. When he finally does appear, he's wearing a backpack and rushing so he won't be late for the first day of school. Poor Puppy obviously does not understand, watching mournfully as Bear dashes through the gate, sadly following Bear's play with other animal friends at lunchtime, and missing his friend when he finally is released from school. Puppy tries to play all their favorite games by himself, but it's just not any fun. Bear finds him that afternoon, sadly curled up under the oak, and the two clear up the misunderstanding and enjoy after-school afternoons filled with best-friend romps. And next fall, it will be Puppy's turn to go to school. Bendall-Brunello's Puppy and Bear have marvelously expressive faces, and their play certainly looks like fun in the watercolor-and-colored pencil illustrations. Bear is fully anthropomorphic, wearing clothes and walking on his hind feet, while Puppy is not, which makes for a relationship that might be difficult for readers to decode. Fits the bill for readers whose own best buds have been lost to school. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews