The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson - ESSENTIAL

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael Lopez. PICTURE BOOK. Nancy Paulsen Books (Penguin Young Readers), 2018. $19. 9780399246531

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL.

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

A variety of kids are highlighted that feel different when they walk into the classroom. They feel this way because of the color of their skin, the way they speak, what they did or didn’t do that summer, what they bring for school lunch, or their physical abilities. Then when one of them shares their experience, they find that that others are more similar than they realized. 

I might have gotten a bit teary eyed reading this book. I love the way it takes the common fears about coming back to school and weaves in the fears of immigrant students and low income students and makes everyone feel connected in their concerns about being different. Then the conclusion of the book does a beautiful job of celebrating uniqueness while enjoying commonalities. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher