We Share This School

May 15, 2023
Children and families come together at their school. Saks, known for the popular kids podcast Noodle Loaf, uses rhyming text to describe what makes this school special. From making music to sharing food to dancing, the story shows that "a classroom is a place to share. / It is a place to grow." The rhyming stanzas bounce along merrily. The message that we all belong feels a bit heavy-handed, though it's a much-needed one. The illustrations demonstrate that everyone has a role to play in this school. Smart's images convey the movement and vibrancy of a classroom, keeping all details simple and similarly styled. True to its message, the illustrations include people of varying skin tones, hair colors and styles, and abilities. In one scene, the group gathers around the table to taste the gulab jamoon that one family brings in to share with the classroom. In another, the children gather round a huge sheet of paper, painting as Saks encourages: "So when you paint a picture, leave room for a friend. Our world is made more vibrant / when we welcome others in." (This book was reviewed digitally.) A portrait of a welcoming community that demonstrates the values of care and inclusion. (Board book. 3-5)

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June 1, 2023

PreS-K-The board book format is put to excellent use as a handbook and guide to that first big unknown for preschoolers: the classroom. "A classroom is a place to share./ It is a place to grow./ It's where you go to make new/ friends that you will get to know." The straightforward sentences are reassuring all by themselves, but accompanied by Smart's vibrant art, which seems a kindred spirit to the work of James Yang, children will quickly grasp the idea that they aren't entering a frightening new arena as much as joining a welcoming community. From a blond child using a wheelchair amid children of a dozen light to dark skin tones to the text's emphasis on diversity of food and clothing among peers, the book works tirelessly to display that without differences to define us, the world is far less interesting. VERDICT A charming introduction to the big idea of school, and an angle that will resonate: it's not the building but the people that make up a school.-Kimberly Olson Fakih

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