Check out Dr. Toughlove’s September 2023 column. Happy School Year!
Happy School Year! Since the 2023-2024 school year has officially started, Dr. Toughlove thought it would be the perfect time to review the delightful book “Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School!”, written by Christina Geist and illustrated by Tim Bowers.
Lady and Buddy, the sister and brother protagonists in the story, are enjoying their breakfast in preparation for going to school. They knew something was awry when their mother announced, “Check out my new backpack! It has four zippers and a secret pocket. I’m wearing it to school!” (p. 5). Lady and Buddy’s father followed suit with brand new sneakers. Things really went off the rails when Grandma, Grandpa and their dog Bow-wow showed up at the front door, wearing back packs, ready for school! In all instances they were emphatically told “Sorry, grown-ups! You can’t go to school! Only kids and teachers! (p. 9).
Many of you know that Dr. Toughlove loves picture books with colorful illustrations, and “Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School!” does not disappoint. The combination of single-page and two-page illustrations are colorful, expressive and laugh out loud funny. Tim Bowers’s pictures compliment Christina Geist’s words expertly. Kids will love to use adjectives to describe how the characters are feeling and what they are thinking. The opportunities to draw inferences from pictures, which is a pre-cursor to reading comprehension are numerous.
This book presents a hilarious twist on the anxiety some kids feel about going back to school. The grown-ups don’t seem to understand that they can’t come to morning meeting or play with friends at recess. This fun, role reversal book can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.
If you are looking for additional books with a “back to school” theme, Dr. Toughlove suggests that you check out the Just for Kids page of her website at https://carolfranksrandall.com/just-for-kids/ The Back-to-School Reading List is the second entry on the page.
“Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School!” is appropriate for children aged 4-8 and is available at the Queen Anne’s County Library.