★ 05/13/2024
A classroom’s first week launches a dynamic change in this inventive picture book. Monday reveals a clique of sports buffs (“They call themselves the SPORT KINGS, but nobody else does”), an artist worried about showing their work, an inventor frustrated with a malfunctioning satellite, a teacher buzzing on eight cups of pre-lunch coffee, and Pat, the class’s lonely bearded dragon. On Tuesday, a spaceship deposits a one-eyed extra- terrestrial just outside the classroom. Attired in abandoned clothing, the alien, called “Nobody,” seamlessly joins the crew, and as the week progresses, becomes a catalyst for creating genuine community—even Pat feels seen. Before rejoining their own kind, Nobody makes a change that resets the week, leaving the Earth-siders blissfully unaware of what has happened. Using crayon-styled bird’s-eye-view illustrations, straightforward captions (“This is Show and Tell. This is Recess”), and emotionally observant text that communicates multiple perspectives, Beckmeyer invites readers to root for the transformation of a classroom culture. Ages 4–8. (June)
★ "The First Week of School is a game changer, an exceptionally creative back-to-school book that practically turns the genre on its head. It’s full of droll humor that will appeal to readers young and old. . . . a sophisticated picture book that packs an amazing punch, brimming with atmosphere and personality. . . In addition to being chock-full of pure entertainment, the diverse perspectives offered remind readers of all ages that there are many ways to approach a classroom and the many unique, surprising personalities inside."
Five starred reviews!
*A July/August 2024 Indie Next Pick*
*JLG Gold Standard Selection*
"The cheerfully busy crayon illustrations offer many satisfying details to notice and track. There’s lots of humor and moments of poignancy . . . It’s a quirky story with way-out details that are ultimately grounded in home."
★ 05/01/2024
Gr 2–4—This book begins on the first day of the first week of school. The kids are perhaps in third or fourth grade, so they have been through this before. Some of the kids are nervous, some are excited to be back, some feel inadequate. The teacher has eight cups of coffee before lunch. Just a normal first week. But when Pat, the class's pet bearded dragon, pushes a button on a science project, an alien visitor is summoned to the school. The alien is blue, one-eyed, and tentacled. The text calls him Nobody. Nobody changes everything. Each page or spread is a different day or a different class. Monday: Show and Tell. Thursday: PE. Readers can follow the students as they navigate the week. The artist is newly insecure about her artwork. The students who call themselves "the sport kings" don't listen to the teacher and get electrocuted (humorously). The teacher forgets her lunch and eats an old box of cereal she finds in a cabinet. Even the bearded dragon, who likes the noises that "humans shoot out of their head holes," has its own plotline. When Nobody, the alien, arrives, people can see it, but no one ever acknowledges its alien appearance. Nobody is just another new kid. The text is clear and concise, allowing the myriad characters space to breathe and grow. The school is vibrant and full of life. Beckmeyer creates detailed images in crayon. His talent for storytelling, illustration, and formatting coalesces into a tale that readers can experience again and again, as if they're anticipating (or reliving) their very own first weeks of school. VERDICT Captures both the magic and the mundanity of the first week of school. Must purchase.—Chance Lee Joyner
★ 2024-04-05
An extraplanetary, extraordinary first week of school.
The first day begins with a line of cars in a drop-off queue and a group of racially diverse kids making their way into the building. Inside we see the ambitious Inventor, the self-critical Artist, a group of friends who refer to themselves as the “SPORT KINGS,” Pat, the classroom bearded dragon, and, notably, an empty desk: “Nobody sits here, but a new student is coming next week.” Nothing seems amiss until recess. There’s a strange sound, and a beam from outer space appears, but no one notices…except Pat. The beam is carrying Nobody, a one-eyed sea-foam green extraterrestrial who, despite Pat’s impressive attempts to alert everyone, integrates seamlessly into the classroom. Nobody is curious and observant, befriending a trepidatious Pat, discovering the Artist’s discarded work, and noticing that there’s “a problem with the vortex calculator on the Inventor’s machine.” In a charmingly guileless way, he calls attention to the Artist’s work, thus turning the class into art aficionados, and quietly leaves a necessary part for the Inventor’s machine before slipping away. The pictures have tremendous crayon-colored kid appeal, and the text is clever and funny. Observant readers will find many delicious surprises, and the twist at the end is a genuine delight.
An inspired and strikingly original riff on the back-to-school experience. (Picture book. 5-9)
