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Ally-Saurus & the First Day of School by Richard Torrey

Source: Sterling Children’s Books
Hardcover, 32 pgs.
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Ally-Saurus & the First Day of School by Richard Torrey is a carefully crafted story about an imaginative young lady who leaves home to attend school for the first time.  Her mother assures her that she will make friends once she gets there, buoyed by this, Ally heads off to school.  She loves dinosaurs and imagines herself as one not only at home but at her new classroom as well.  She greets her teacher as a dinosaur would and eats her lunch as a dino would.  She’s not as odd as adults might think because the other students in her class act in similar ways, though none act as dinos.  From princesses to lions and astronauts, these kids have vivid imaginations.  Initially, they are wary of those who are different from one another, but eventually, their perceptions of one another are broken down and they learn to play with one another.  There is even one classmate who does not have an over-active imagination, and he’s accepted too.

My daughter and I loved this book and roared with Ally as she entered the classroom and played with her new friends.  We loved the adventures she took with her friends on the playground and hope that there are more books with Ally to come.  The illustrations are reminiscent of chalk drawings for the most part, which goes well with the theme — the first day of school.  Parents can use this tale to help ease the fears of their own kids before they enter school for the first time.

Ally-Saurus & the First Day of School by Richard Torrey is fantastic, inventive, and we loved it.  We’ll likely read this many more times before my daughter enters Kindergarten, so may by by then, she’ll be ready for her own new adventure.

About the Author:

Richard Torrey is the author and illustrator of a number of well-loved children’s books, including Almost, Why?, and the popular Beans Baker series. Mr. Torrey lives in Shoreham, New York.

Mailbox Monday #320

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at To Be Continued, formerly The Printed Page, has a permanent home at its own blog.

To check out what everyone has received over the last week, visit the blog and check out the links.  Leave yours too.

Also, each week, Leslie, Vicki, and I will share the Books that Caught Our Eye from everyone’s weekly links.

Here’s what I received:

1. The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach by Pam Jenoff, an unexpected surprise from the author.

Young Adelia Monteforte flees fascist Italy for America, where she is whisked away to the shore by her well-meaning aunt and uncle. Here, she meets and falls for Charlie Connally, the eldest of the four Irish-Catholic boys next door. But all hopes for a future together are soon throttled by the war and a tragedy that hits much closer to home.

Grief-stricken, Addie flees—first to Washington and then to war-torn London—and finds a position at a prestigious newspaper, as well as a chance to redeem lost time, lost family…and lost love. But the past always nips at her heels, demanding to be reckoned with. And in a final, fateful choice, Addie discovers that the way home may be a path she never suspected.

2.  How Tiger Says, Thank You! by Abigail Samoun, illustrated by Sarah Watts from Sterling Children’s Books for review.

Tiger’s taking a trip—and everywhere she goes, from the market in Moscow to a boat on Egypt’s Nile River, she says “thank you” to the friendly people she meets. And, as they follow her round the world, children will learn to how to say thanks in seven different languages, too: French, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, Mandarin, Japanese, and Spanish. Each “please” word is translated and has a pronunciation guide, and an illustrated map follows Tiger’s travels.

3.  How Penguin Says, Please! by Abigail Samoun, illustrated by Sarah Watts from Sterling Children’s Books for review.

This adorable board book teaches preschoolers how to say “please” in seven languages! Join Penguin as she enjoys pastries in France, explores the Hermitage in Russia, sees Mount Fuji in Japan and the Pyramids in Egypt, buys fish in China, sips chai in India, visits relatives in Argentina—and remembers her manners everywhere she goes! Each “please” word is translated and has a pronunciation guide, and an illustrated map follows Penguin’s travels round the world.

4.  Ally-Saurus & the First Day of School by Richard Torrey from Sterling Children’s Books for review.

When Ally roars off to her first day at school, she hopes she’ll meet lots of other dinosaur-mad kids in class. Instead, she’s the only one chomping her food with fierce dino teeth and drawing dinosaurs on her nameplate. Even worse, a group of would-be “princesses” snubs her! Will Ally ever make new friends? With its humorous art, appealing heroine, and surprise ending, this fun picture book celebrates children’s boundless imagination.

5. Mireille by Molly Cochran from Lake Union Publishing and TLC Book Tours for review in June.

Near the end of World War II, seventeen-year-old Mireille de Jouarre flees the home of her stepfather, a Nazi collaborator and abusive drunk. She finds shelter with her childhood friend Stefan, and the two fall deeply in love. But as the fighting escalates, Mireille must escape alone to Paris, where she discovers she’s pregnant and lacking a way to provide for her child.

So begins her new life as l’Ange—the Angel. After an unlikely meeting with a wealthy aristocrat in a Parisian hotel—and her acceptance of his solicitation—Mireille becomes the most celebrated poule in all of France, eliciting huge fees and invitations to exclusive parties. At one of these events, Mireille meets Oliver Jordan, an American womanizer and film producer, and is soon launching a promising film career. As her star rises, Mireille is determined to bury her past. But her success isn’t as carefree and glittery as it seems, and when her daughter’s future is threatened, Mireille must make a deadly decision in a desperate attempt to finally choose her own path.

What did you receive?