Welcome to The Caring Classroom! A new series
that gives kids the building blocks they need to be a kind and caring
person in the classroom and beyond.(goodreads summary)
Thea wants everything to be perfect during her first week of school! Nothing can go wrong as she is filled with excitement, hope and worries. But when a mishap during art time occurs, Thea shares an idea bringing the caring classroom together.
The first week of school can become frustrating for a child who is a perfectionist such as Thea. This is a gentle, encouraging read-aloud that would work well for classroom story time or a parent of a child with the expectations of making everything perfect the first few days of a new school year. The book sends a positive message that making mistakes is okay and shows that you don't have to be perfect at everything. When things happen beyond your control it can turn into something wonderful when you stop and adjust your thinking. The illustrations are fun, bold and the characters have cute expressions as they go through their school days of ups and downs. The text flows nicely for reading aloud and the story may relieve some anxiety and jitters kids are facing. In the beginning, Thea makes a list of all the things she needs to make her first day perfect. In the end, her list changes to a helpful tips for a perfectly imperfect you list teaching us some valuable points. This is the first book in "The Caring Classroom" series and I could see many more in the future about Thea and her classmates. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 4-7.~
Title: A Not So Perfect Start
Author: Trudy Ludwig, illustrated by Maribel Lechuga
Pub. date: June 2026, Knopf Books for Young Readers
Genre: picture book
Hardcover, 32 pgs.