Sophie's Squash Go to School - Hardcover

Pat Zietlow Miller received an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor for Sophie’s Squash, her picture-book debut, which was published to four starred reviews and named a Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book. She is also the author of the picture books Wherever You Go and Sharing the Bread: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Visit the author at patzietlowmiller.com.
 
Anne Wilsdorf’s illustrations for Sophie’s Squash were described as “bursting with color and energy on every page” in a starred review by Booklist. She has illustrated numerous other books for children, including My Dog’s a Chicken by Susan McElroy Montanari, Dogs on the Bed by Elizabeth Bluemle, The Best Story by Eileen Spinelli, Alligator Sue by Sharon Arms Doucet, and the Ruby Lu series by Lenore Look. She lives and works in Lausanne, Switzerland.

PreS-Gr 1—Who needs a friend when you have a squash? When readers last encountered the stubborn protagonist of Sophie's Squash, the girl's beloved Bernice was becoming freckled with spots and mushy. On the advice of the farmer, Sophie provides Bernice with fresh air, clean soil, and love (the squash gets buried by its favorite outdoor spot). Along with the arrival of the warm weather, a sprout appears, and, ultimately, Bernice's two offspring arrive. Now Sophie is starting school, and with her go the small fruits named Bonnie and Baxter. Once there, the kindergartner encounters and vehemently rebuffs the friendly overtures of the persistent Steven Green (who carries around a frog). Slowly, the classroom activities and outdoor games of her classmates begin to attract Sophie's interest, but it isn't until Bonnie and Baxter are tucked in for their "winter nap" and her teacher's question, "What makes a good friend?", followed by a tussle with Steven, an apology, and a plan, that she realizes that friends come in all forms, including human. Young children will relate to Sophie's unease in a new environment and her difficulty letting go of the familiar and comforting. Wilsdorf's watercolor and ink art, filled with details, depict a colorful classroom complete with art projects, books, blocks, and enough activity (and humor) to tempt the most reluctant of preschoolers to give kindergarten a try. VERDICT A warm and encouraging look at starting school, perfect for reading aloud and small group sharing.—Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal