First Grade Jitters

K-Gr 1—In this newly illustrated title first published in 1982, Aidan worries about first grade. He hasn't seen his kindergarten friends all summer, and he's had plenty of time to imagine the worst about the upcoming school year. Will his friends be in his class? Will he be expected to read and do math problems? "And what if I can't understand anything the teacher says? She might say, 'Oogly, boogly.' When I ask her what that means, she might answer, 'Muncha, chumba, zeglipo.'" His parents notice that something is wrong, but he refuses to admit his fears. When his friend returns from her summer vacation with reassuring news of their new teacher, he jumps for joy and exclaims, "My jitters are gone!" The text and pictures explore this common anxiety effectively and with a touch of humor. Full-spread illustrations depict the grumpy protagonist with his perplexed and annoyed parents, and later, relaxed and jubilant. Aidan's loyal dog and teddy bear mirror his concerns throughout. When he holds up his leg in bed, insisting that he cannot walk and won't be better for the first day of school, his frowning teddy holds up his leg as well. Couple this story with Julie Danneberg's First Day Jitters (Charlesbridge, 2000) for another perspective on back-to-school angst.—Barbara Auerbach, PS 217, Brooklyn, NY