Picture books for and about school: *We the People, Pterodactyl Show and Tell, and My First Day

Three picture books are perfect for going back to school: We the People, Pterodactyl Show and Tell, and My First Day.

*We the People: The Constitution of the United States by Peter Spier. Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2014, 48 pages.

Reading Level: Picture book, ages 4-8

Recommended for: ages 4-8, ages 8-10

Every illustration in Peter Spier’s books is worth studying, because they communicate so much. We the People is no exception. Who are “the people” of the United States? Who were they when the Constitution was framed? Who are they now? What is the Union and how is it formed? What does Justice look like?

He also raises questions that encourage discussion. Does domestic Tranquility include allowing labor strikes as well as peaceful days in the park? How many different ways are there to promote the general welfare, even in pictures of landscapes without people in them?

Remember that the blessings of Liberty include Gideon Bibles in hotel rooms, car lot competition, and land ownership. So many changes, and yet the principles remain the same in our nation’s history. This book is a marvelous introduction to a great document, the entirety of which is included at the end of the book. September 17, 1789 is the day it was signed, and it’s a day worth celebrating!

Overall Rating: 4.75 (out of 5)

• Worldview/moral value: 4.5
• Artistic/literary value: 5

Pterodactyl Show and Tell by Thad Krasnesky, illustrated by Tanya Leonello. Brooklyn, N.Y. : Flashlight Press, 2018, 32 pages.

Reading Level: Picture book, ages 4-8

Recommended for: ages 4-8

Taking your pet pterodactyl to school for show-and-tell is guaranteed to create chaos. The dinosaur cheerfully participates in all subjects and activities, but somehow the class and teacher don’t appreciate his visit.

The story is fun, the illustrations humorous, and the rhymes ring true. An excellent read aloud.

Overall Rating: 4.25

• Worldview/moral value: 4
• Artistic/literary value: 4.5

My First Day by Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien, Make Me a World, 2021, 40 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8

Recommended for: ages 5-10

First day? Of what?

A young boy paddles his boat into the Mekong, knowing that the adventure and the rest of the world await. The text contains hints at the final destination as the boy and his boat pass through the mangroves (warily eyeing an alligator), admiring storks in flight, floating over schools of fish, and greeting water buffalo before he arrives safely at his destination. I’ll leave to you to appreciate the accomplishment.

Evocative text, not too dense or detailed, and gorgeous artwork make this a lovely story about an ordinary and important morning in the life of a child in Vietnam.

Overall Rating: 4.25

• Worldview/moral value: 4
• Artistic/literary value: 4.5

Read more about our ratings here.                 

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: Bolivar A beautiful wordless book about a dinosaur
• Resource: We the people: A U.S. Government booklist
• Resource: School booklists galore! Back-to-school Picture Books and Middle Grade Books

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