The Exceptionally, Extraordinarily Ordinary First Day of School

by Albert Lorenz

Overview

On the first day back to school from summer vacation, John is the new kid. When the librarian asks him if the school is any different from his last one, he begins a wildly imaginative story about what it was like. What follows are hilarious scenarios—his old school bus was a safari jeep pulled by wild creatures, the school was a castle, and the lunch menu included worms! His imagination wins him the attention and awe of his librarian and peers, setting the tone for a compelling story about conquering the fears of being a new kid, as well as the first-day jitters that many children experience.

Albert Lorenz’s over-the-top illustrations, reminiscent of the work of MAD magazine’s early artists, bring the story to life. Speech bubbles and side panels make reference to and define objects in the art (in the most humorous and irreverent way).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810989603
Publisher:	Abrams, Harry N., Inc.
Publication date:	08/01/2010
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	11.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD550L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Albert Lorenz has illustrated a number of bestselling books, including The Trojan Horse, Buried Blueprints, Metropolis, and House. He is a past president of the Society of Illustrators and has won numerous awards for his art. He lives in Floral Park, New York. Visit him online at www.albertlorenzstudio.com.

Editorial Reviews

When the librarian asks a new student about his old school, John describes a place full of wild characters and even wilder adventures. Inside the castle-like building, teachers eat students, animals run rampant, history class involves a time machine, and the field trips are out of this world. Bordering each page are often hilarious “definitions” of items featured in Lorenz’s frenetic scenes (“School bus--A terror-filled nightmare on wheels.... Life only gets worse from here on out”), which are sprinkled with speech bubbles. There’s a dizzying amount of text and art on each spread--no shortage of fodder for readers whose tastes gravitate toward the strange and surreal. Ages 6-9. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Do not be mistaken by the title of this graphic picture book. It is not a comforting, helpful, or informative story for young readers or children who are entering school for the first time. It is a detailed and irreverently humorous narrative told from the point of view of John, an upper elementary-aged boy, who is entering a new school. At Mrs. Dewey's urging, John recounts specific details of his old school such as a school lunch that includes creepy, crawly worms and a time machine. On each page of this unusual, imaginative, and edgy story are bizarre facts and far-fetched details about John's previous school. Each page contains a side bar chock full of factoids that are strange and off-color, and the illustrations on each page are extremely detailed. The outlandish characters have voice bubbles and expressions that convey meaning beyond the text, making this a book that some children may want to study carefully, while other readers may think it is difficult to follow. This is a unique picture book but is not likely to have a wide reaching appeal. Reviewer: Susan Borges

Children's Literature - Susan Borges

Gr 2–4—John, the new kid in school, is looking for an unexceptional environment because his old one was just the opposite. "My old school was really, really old. And kind of a hangout for ravens. It could be sorta messy." John's definitions of "Extraordinary facts" related to the various scenarios he describes are listed in glossary panels on the right-hand edges of the fantastical spreads. The pictures were created with watercolor, color pencil, pen-and-ink, and airbrush. Humanlike animals—"Anthropomorphism—The practice of thinking that your pet cat (or rat or rhino) has human qualities"—appear in the detailed visual feasts, which beg for inspection. Eerie surprises exist in the illustrations, and the glossary includes bathroom humor, outrageous comments on teachers, dark humor, and slang. The book's format adds to its appeal with varying fonts for the artwork, a consistent font for the story, and speech bubbles. An unusual picture book, for most libraries.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services Plano ISD, TX

School Library Journal