Going to My Nursery School

School Library Journal

PreS-- A realistic glimpse of a day at a New York City nursery school, focusing on the activities of a class of four year olds. Readers follow Heath as he visits his cubby; says goodbye to his father; decides on an activity; cleans up; and enjoys snack time, playgroundtime, and circle time. His security and his freedom to make choices are emphasized. There is a sea of well-groomed white faces--the Oshkosh set--the Peters, Katies, and Andrews with fathers looking spiffy in business suits as they drop off the kids. There's a largely surburban ambiance until the class goes outdoors to their rooftop playground with city buildings all around. The text is topped off by several pages of advice to parents about how to select appropriate nursery schools. Colorful photos give a view of the school from all angles. They're extremely inviting and full of the children's activity and creativity. Wrapped up in delightful endpapers featuring a bright display of preschoolers' marker drawings, this is a good-looking, cheerful package. It's loaded with as much information, presented both verbally and visually, as preschoolers can absorb. And it gives an upbeat impression of nursery school as an experience. Its only limitation stems from the unicultural background depicted. --Liza Bliss, Worcester Public Library, MA