Sammy and Sunny's First Day of School

April 4, 2025

PreS-K-This fun story of two companions attending school for the first time helps to ease anxious minds of both the human and canine varieties. It is time for Sunny and Sammy to attend their first days of kid school and puppy school, respectively, and they are both feeling nervous about what to expect. The two characters experience a plethora of activities, some in parallel to one another and others in vastly different circumstances. But when Sunny settles into puppy school and Sammy gets acquainted with her human classmates, they both realize that the joys of school greatly outweigh their anxieties. Speech bubbles appear alongside the narrative-style text, offering readers a glimpse of phrasing they might experience while in their own educational environments. Additionally, interactions are a highlight of the imagery, providing examples of potential moments within a child's school day. Watercolor illustrations with clear lines give the text a childlike quality while presenting enough detail to emphasize the emotions and elements specific to each interaction. A variety of skin tones and abilities is represented among the characters who appear alongside Sammy and Sunny, as well. The images are the primary focus of the book, and these, coupled with the comparatively limited text, make this title well-suited to preschool-aged readers who are preparing to enter school for the first time. VERDICT Fun and unexpected, this charming back-to-school book lovingly supports children who are preparing for their first day of school.-Mary R. Lanni

Copyright 2025 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2025
Whether you've got two legs or four, first days can be awfully exciting! It's here! Today is Sammy and Sunny's first day of school! For Sammy, a brown-skinned girl living with her light-skinned mama, that means kindergarten. Meanwhile, Sunny, their spotted pooch, is off to dog-training class. Girl and pet alike undergo similar experiences, their days mirroring one another. Their arrivals are accompanied by a sense of loneliness that's quickly alleviated as they throw themselves into various activities--some similar (like roll call), others quite different (Sammy listens to storytime, while Sunny digs in the dirt). Mind you, not everything goes smoothly: Sammy accidentally sprays herself while drinking from the water fountain, while Sunny's terrified when his trainer turns on the vacuum cleaner. Overall, though, the two have a great time, and the day's over before they even know it. And tomorrow? Well...maybe tomorrow they'll switch schools! Though LaCour acknowledges her protagonists' fears and concerns over the sheer newness of things, on the whole, starting school is a positive experience. The surprise ending, in which Sammy and Sunny switch schools, is left open-ended and could be taken literally or as pure fantasy. The bright, upbeat watercolor art abounds in movement and friendly faces all around. The universality of the first day of school transcends species in this gentle aid for newbies.(Picture book. 3-6)

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July 1, 2025
Preschool-Grade 2 It's the first day of school for Sammy and her dog, Sunny. Mama takes Sammy to kid school first, then delivers Sunny to puppy school. Their days' activities are contrasted through alternating illustrations, highlighting the similarities and differences between both classrooms. Sammy and Sunny feel a little nervous, although only Sunny howls. They meet their teachers and classmates. Sammy's class hears a story, while Sunny and the other puppies dig holes outside. They learn new skills, like how to handle a squirting water fountain (Sammy) and getting used to the sound of a vacuum cleaner (Sunny). After they share their experiences in detail with Mama, Sammy asks what happens on the second day of school. Surprised when Mama says more of the same, Sammy and Sunny instead make a switch. Sunny likes circle time, and Sammy enjoys rolling in grass. The humorous illustrations present Sammy with brown hair and skin, Mama with red hair and white skin, and Sunny with spotted brown-and-white fur. This lighthearted tale is a helpful antidote for first-day jitters.

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