Back to School: The Night Before First Grade by Natasha Wing

'Twas the night before first grade.
I kissed my dog Clover.
"School's starting tomorrow
Because summer's over."

To the merry meter and rhyme scheme of 'Twas the Night before Christmas, rising first-grader Penny works out all the opening day jitters as she and her best friend Jenny head off to school, excited about seeing their old Kindergarten teacher and friends and nervous about their new teacher and classroom. The two glory in being bigger and more with-it than the timid little Kindergartners as they make their way to their own classroom without a hitch.

Then, oh, no! A new class has to be formed and Penny and Jenny wind up in different classrooms!

We waved good-bye sadly
And said, "See you later."
I had to be brave
Because I'm a first grader.

First grade is not looking so great until Penny makes friends with Nina, an interesting girl with unusual glasses and a nice smile, a new girl who has never attended Penny's school. The two hit it off and Penny proudly shows her the ropes in the cafeteria at lunch.

While Penny and the new girl are sitting down together, Jenny comes in with her class, and, amazingly, she's leading a new girl who looks just like Nina! In fact, they're twins, and Penny and Jenny and Nina and Tina are looking forward to amazing times together in first grade.

The Night Before First Grade and its companion book The Night Before Kindergarten provide an opportunity for kids feeling first-day butterflies to get a bit of vicarious experience with fictional kids in the same boat. The books also offer a chance for parents and teachers to talk to kids about their fears and offer coping strategies for that big transition.

Natasha Wing's text hits all the worry points of the first day of school, while the familiar rhythm of The Night Before Christmas goes down like the proverbial spoonful of sugar.