First Day at Zoo School
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- $28.99
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- $28.99
Publisher Description
It's the first day of Zoo School and outgoing Amanda the Panda is ready. She's excited and can't wait to go! But for anxious Alfred the Alligator, the first day fills him with dread. Why does he have to go? Isn't he smart enough already? When Amanda gets to school and sees that everyone seems to have a best friend, she decides that Alfred would be the perfect best friend for her. But what does it mean to be a best friend? Does it mean enjoying the same things or feeling the same way? Amanda doesn't notice that Alfred doesn't like sitting at the front of the classroom. And she doesn't notice that Alfred is miserable when she picks him to play Tag. In fact, Amanda doesn't notice much about Alfred at all. She's too busy enjoying everything all around her. And it's up to Alfred to point out to her how he is feeling. A thoughtful story that explores what it means to be a best friend.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Dillard makes excellent use of comic-book elements like sequential panels and speech balloons in this witty, well-observed story. Amanda, an exuberant panda, is delighted to be at school, but Alfred, the introverted alligator, who she decides is her new best friend, is less eager. "Why do I have to go to school?" he wonders. "I know so much already." Amanda's ebullience only grates on Alfred's nerves, resulting in a blowup that gets resolved the next day. Dillard keeps the story's messaging subtle, and her crisp images and candid storytelling capture the give-and-take inherent in many early friendships. Ages 5 7.
