If Animals Went to School

by Ann Whitford Paul, David Walker (Illustrator)

Overview

A must-have for any nursery! If Animals Went to School is a beloved board book in the bestselling If Animals Kissed Goodnight series that imagines what creatures from all across the animal kingdom might do in the classroom – making it the perfect gift for teachers and educators as well as a great read aloud at home.

What if animals did what YOU do?

Beaver would practice counting with sticks. Goat would snack on the storybooks. And at recess, Goose would glide down Giraffe’s neck slide! Across the animal kingdom, every creature would learn, play, and make new friends.

Featuring playful rhymes and adorable art, little ones can see how creatures, great and small, learn together. Families will giggle along as they imagine the critters that inhabit places near and far. This is a wonderful gift for baby showers, birthdays, new parents, or any occasion!

Don't miss the other books in this adorable series: If Animals Kissed Good Night, If Animals Said I Love You, If Animals Celebrated Christmas, If Animals Gave Thanks, If Animals Tried to Be Kind, If Animals Trick-or-Treated, and If Animals Went to Work.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374309022
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	05/14/2019
Series:	If Animals Kissed Good Night
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	622,627
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	2 - 6 Years

About the Author

Ann Whitford Paul and David Walker collaborate on the If Animals series, including If Animals Kissed Good Night, which School Library Journal calls "charming"; If Animals Went to School; and If Animals Celebrated Christmas. Ann lives in Los Angeles, California. David lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Editorial Reviews

08/01/2019

Toddler-PreS–Paul and Walker reunite for their fourth animal "what if" picture book—this one imagining what animals would do if they went to school. Using simple, bouncing rhymes and sounds, this charming narrative follows a reluctant, shuffling beaver on his way to school. Soft-hued acrylic artwork captures the imagined scene of animals in the classroom: "Kangaroo would jumpity-jump-jump past/and be first to the room" while "Fox would rush to the story nook,/and bark-bark, 'Goat! Stop eating that book.'" Animals are shown joyfully singing, building, counting, reading, and playing at school; now Beaver is sad that he has to go home. The gentle, delightful illustrations paired with the simple, sweet story line are sure to please little listeners everywhere. VERDICT Pair with Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama Misses Mama to soothe nursery school jitters. A lovely recommended read-aloud for toddlers and preschoolers.—Brianne Colombo, Fairfield Free Public Library, NJ

School Library Journal

2019-05-08
Paul and Walker continue their If Animals series with this look at animals attending school.

Just what would an all-animal school look like? How would students and teachers behave? Previous series outings each had their strengths and weaknesses, and this one, unfortunately, seems to combine all of the latter. While the array of fauna is a plus, the students are just labeled with the adult name—Beaver, Lemming, etc.—missing the opportunity to teach kids the names for animal young that made If Animals Kissed Good Night (2008) stand out. Worse, though, is the fact that many of the animals don't stand out as exemplifying their behaviors, instead merely highlighting what happens at school: Elephant stacks cardboard blocks in a tower, Mouse plays with shapes, Bear "hog[s] the triangles," and Beaver is the reluctant student whose parent drags him to school. "Fox would rush to the story nook, / and bark-bark, ‘Goat! Stop eating that book.' " Well, at least Goat is doing what goats often do, even if Fox is acting a lot more like a herd dog than a predator. Onomatopoeia is emphasized throughout, and young listeners will likely enjoy chiming in on the sound effects, though the rhythm and rhyme are inconsistent. Walker's illustrations are softly colored and delightfully adorable.

Lacking the perfect pairings of animal and behavior, this one just doesn't stand out. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews

The gentle, delightful illustrations paired with the simple, sweet story line are sure to please little listeners everywhere. . .A lovely recommended read-aloud for toddlers and preschoolers.” —School Library Journal

“For younger readers, If Animals Went to School introduces them in an entertaining way to what they can expect at school. . .Colorful, joyful watercolors amp up the playfulness.” —The News Gazette

From the Publisher