And Then Comes School — Tom Brenner

Joyful anticipation is in the air as a child observes cues that the first day of school is coming soon. Cooler mornings, cicadas buzzing, apples ripening . . . Can shopping for school supplies be far behind? The evening before the first day means laying out your outfit, loading up your backpack, and filling a lunch box with your favorite things. When the alarm goes off, there's Dad's extra-special breakfast (and, of course, some picture-taking), then the feeling of bubbly excitement as you and your friends climb onto a bus, ready to see your new classroom and meet your teacher. Whether the reader is a child who is eager to return to school or a younger one trying to imagine what school is like, this upbeat and lyrical ode -- the fourth in the And Then Comes series -- holds sure appeal for returning students and first-timers alike.