How to Go to Big School (Sarah Ayoub, illus Mimi Purnell, HarperCollins)

After the success of How to Be a Friend, Sarah Ayoub and Mimi Purnell return with another heartfelt guide. How to Go to Big School offers practical tips for children aged 3+ who are worried about starting school. The book outlines what to expect in a school day, from preparing snacks in the morning to getting picked up in the afternoon. During drop-off, for example, we’re reminded that feeling scared is normal. How to Go to Big School also explains how to get the teacher’s attention and common school activities, including singing and learning letters and numbers. There’s even mention of good-citizen tasks, such as practising active listening and picking up rubbish. Purnell’s whimsical illustrations support young readers in visualising these routines, helping to ease anxiety for kids and parents. Importantly, Ayoub and Purnell show school as an inclusive space that is playful and welcoming. Ayoub’s confident, lyrical writing reassures readers and underscores the book’s core message – that learning should be celebrated, especially in the AI era, where efficiency can overshadow the slower, essential process of learning. How to Go to Big School offers a positive way to prepare children for this important transition and is ideal for fans of Kitty Black and Cate James’ Starting School List and Corrinne Averiss and Kirsti Beautyman’s Love.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Nadia Heisler is a CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) writer with a background in journalism and a passion for children’s books. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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