Publishers Weekly
Henry, the mouse star of Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! moves up a notch for First Grade, Here I Come! by Nancy Carlson. As the book opens, the hero's mother asks him about his first day, and he tells her what he misses about kindergarten but also what he likes about his new first grade classroom. Carlson illustrates each memory as a thought balloon, while framing present-tense scenes with a clean white border. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 1-In Carlson's third book about Henry and his adventures, the mouse has just spent his first day in first grade and is not quite sure how he feels about it. However, as he describes his experiences to his mother, he realizes that for every negative (he doesn't sit near any of his old friends) there is a positive (he's made a new pal who likes soccer and spiders as much as he does). By the time he's finished with his recitation, he's excited, happy, and proud that he's "a real first grader now!" Children taking this monumental step will sympathize with Henry's uncertainty and be reassured by his adjustment. The vibrantly colored illustrations and the cast of animal characters have lots of child appeal. Librarians will particularly appreciate the page where Henry and his classmates are eagerly investigating the "Everybody Books" in the school library. Whether used for storytime or independent reading, the book is sure to find an audience.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Henry has graduated from kindergarten, but that doesn't mean he has necessarily left it behind. When his mother asks how his first day in first grade went, he says, "I didn't like it because I missed kindergarten." His mother encourages him to talk about it. As Henry goes about debriefing her, he develops a whole new picture. The teacher was new-and a man!-but he was also a good guy, as evidenced by the fact that he liked Henry's pet worm. There were new kids, too, but Henry had already made a friend in Oswaldo. There was a cool science corner with a really fast guinea pig (discovered when you just happen to open Curly's cage door). Minor problems are knit up, a little independence is dispensed and the first day of first grade turns out actually to be pretty neat. Prospective first-graders will find Carlson's story enormously buoyant, floating those first-day cares away on the backs of her sweet, lopsided characters. (Picture book. 5-7)
From the Publisher
[T]his encouraging book will help to calm those first-day-of-school jitters. -Booklist
