Back to School: Max & Mo's First Day at School by Patricia Lakin

"Back to school," said Mo. "It's our first day," said Max.

"New things to make," said Max.

"And new friends, too," said Mo.

Classroom hamsters Max and Mo find themselves on the way back to school, this time to find their habitat ensconced in a place of honor in the art room. The hamsters are excited to be back in the school, and the children are intrigued with their new visitors. But there is just one problem:

"She called me 'Tummy'!" said Mo.

"He called me 'Fluffy!" said Max.

But the sign on the classroom wall says TOMORROW: MAKE NAME TAGS.

Good idea, think Max and Mo. Skillfully breaking out of their cage, the two make use of the abundant art supplies all around them to craft a cardboard paper towel core into a snazzy desk nameplate, propped against their cage, with their REAL names-- MAX and MO--carefully lettered on the front.

When the class returns the next day, "Tummy" and "Fluffy" are forgotten, and Max and Mo are welcomed as members of the class, inspiring the children to get busy making their own desk nametags and in the process making friends with each other as well.

Directions and supplies needed are appended to this "back to school" entry in the charming easy reading series starring the classroom critters Max and Mo, all of which provide tie-ins for classroom crafts. Max & Mo's First Day at School (Ready-to-Read. Level 1) is a great lead-in to the first-day activity of making name tags or desk nameplates. Other Max & Mo classroom tie-in stories include Max & Mo Make a Snowman (Ready-to-Read. Level 1), Max & Mo's Halloween Surprise (Ready-to-Read. Level 1,) and Max & Mo Go Apple Picking (Ready-to-Read)