A Very Full Morning - Hardcover

Eva Montanari lives in Rimini, Italy, and graduated from the European School of Design in Milan. She has illustrated several books that have been published in her native Italy as well as Taiwan, Germany, Japan, and the United States.

Kindergarten-Grade 3–The first day of school takes on a surreal aspect as Little Tooth, a long-eared bunny, tries to fall asleep on the eve of the big event. The artwork's unusual perspectives emphasize the wide-eyed rabbit who lies awake in her huge bed. In the morning, she sets off carrying a shoulder bag containing a disproportionately long, sharp-pointed pencil. She walks through a barred gate, follows a stream of bunnies into a building, and hurries through a curving corridor. She enters a crowded room and takes the only empty seat at a tall table. Looking at the expectant faces in front of her, she gathers her courage, and says, I'm your teacher. It's my first day of school as well. While the simple text presents a clever twist on first-day jitters, youngsters might find the acrylic and colored-pencil illustrations unsettling. The distorted visual perspectives, swirling hues, and dreamlike quality create a disturbing, tension-filled atmosphere. The stark depictions of the school and classroom are frightening and off-putting, and Little Tooth's anxious facial expressions add to the uneasy mood. While the story ends on a reassuring note, apprehensive first-timers might come away more worried than comforted.–Linda Staskus, Parma Regional Library, OH
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