Mom, It's My First Day of Kindergarten! (edition 2012)

It's a boy's first day of kindergarten and he is anything but scared. His mom is more than nervous as she assists him in getting ready for the big day. This book brought me back to my own childhood in remembering what it was like to attend a new school for the first time. The illustrations of this book are simple and crude. They look to be done from color pencil. An item of note that I really appreciate about the drawings is how the illustrator made use of the color blue. Blue is shown on the body and face of the person who is experiencing nervous feelings. It begins with the mother, and when the child becomes afraid, the mother steps up and becomes strong. Classroom/Parenting Use: First day of school preparations.

A confident boy who is ready to start kindergarden with a mother who is not ready to let him go.

I thought this was a great children's story with a funny twist. Usually it's both the parent and child who are nervous about the first day of kindergarten, but in this book it's the kids who is anxious to get going and the mom who is not quite so ready for this to happen. Then, after the reality sets in, the kid starts to get nervous and the mom has to calm him down. In the end it works out for eveyone and he is excited to be going to kindergarten. ( )

Cheerfully captures the excitement of a boy starting kindergarten. ( )

This would be a touching read aloud on the first day of school for new Kindergarteners and their lingering parents. It would be a great way to start the day and encourage as well as provide an opportunity for parents to say goodbye. The text and illustrations depict the range of emotions a mom as well as child feel as they begin their school career. Hyewon Yum depicts the mother as unusually petite, frail, and worried as her son is starting kindergarten and in contrast her son is depicted much larger, strong, and confident. to start Kindergarten. The author/illustrator uses a bold color of orangish red, uniquely on the face to show happiness and an unusual blue on the face to show sadness. At one point in the story the emotions of both mom and her son reverse as he stands outside his classroom, but the mom is quick to overcome her sadness and assume the powerful role of a mom encouraging her son. He overcomes his quick lack of confidence and after saying goodbye to mom walks confidently into his new classroom meeting his new teacher, friends, and begins to engage in the kindergarten classroom activities illustrated in colorful and accurate detail.