Mildred and Sam Go to School (I Can Read Level 2)

Good morning, said Mrs. Sunnyseed. Welcome to the first day of school.

Mildred and Sam's eight little mice are growing up and going to school by themselves. Mildred is worried that school is too far away, but Sam knows the little mice will be just fine on their own. At least, he thinks they will . . . but Mildred and Sam head to school just to make sure.

Children's Literature

Mildred and Sam (proud Momma and Daddy) have a nest full of eight little mice, just the right size for going off to school, but it seems very far away to Mildred. So she and Sam sometimes tag along. Before you know it, Mrs. Sunnyside is saying, Good Morning and, with that salutation, begins another exciting school day for the little mice. This title from Harper Collins's I Can Read Bookr series has strong rhythm, and frequent repetition (What are you doing out there?), just the formula for early readers. There is enough common schema between the young mice in this book and children experiencing their first years in school to create a strong connection. Show and tell, field trips, and science exploration are all here, and there is quite a bit of learning going on for both the characters AND the reader. Sharleen's rich, textured illustrations are full of detail and brilliantly reflect the changes that happen in nature and in growing youngsters so that, in the end, school does not seem so very far away. Reviewer: Cathy Puett Miller