Review: My Stinky New School by Rebecca Elliott

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Toby's sister and baby brother love their schools - they smell of paint and rainbows. Toby doesn't think he likes his new school at all - it smells of ogres and he's lonely. He looks and looks for friends but he can't find any anywhere. He finds an alien, a mermaid, a dinosaur expert and a pirate, but no friends! When his mum comes to pick him up he tells her the sad news - but if he didn't make any friends then who is in the playground waving at him..? Rebecca Elliott's charming Toby books help children deal with new and unfamiliar circumstances. In Mr Super Poopy Pants, Toby got used to the idea of having a new baby brother; in Missing Jack he had to come to terms with the death of his pet cat. Now Rebecca is showing that going to school isn't quite as scary as you might think, using her unique sense of humour and style to create a warm and comforting picture book, which is quirky and funny at the same time.

MY TAKE:
This is the perfect book for little kids who are anxious about starting school.

In My Stinky New School, Toby's new school is nothing like his siblings' schools. Then, he meets new people at his new school and goes on adventures with them and he realizes that he might like his new school after all.

I really liked the story's lesson and the way it was approached. Lots of kids have anxiety about starting new schools, especially when they think that they won't make any new friends. Toby views his school as a gross, scary place, but soon he meets an "alien" who helps him out. He then meets a few new people and they go on imaginary adventures. The fantasies are treated as reality, the way a child imagines the stories he comes up with while he is playing as real. I liked that while Toby didn't think to consider his playmates as friends until his mother pointed them out and they greeted him back. This helps kids realize that friends can be found anywhere.

I found the illustrations lovely. I tried figuring out the medium used, and it looks like it was done with paint, although I saw some textures that made me think this was done on special paper or it's mixed media. Anyway, the illustrations overall, are perfect for the story, and the colorful drawings should appeal to kids of all ages.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lion Children's Books for the e-ARC.

THE GOOD:

1. The illustrations are cute and whimsical.
2. The story can help kids who are anxious about starting school.
3. Kids can relate to this story easily.

THE BAD:

1. I prefer a different font for the text. 

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

It smells of sunshine, playdough, and bananas, and he loves it. 

READ IT IF:

1. Your child is starting a new school.
2. Your child is feeling anxious about school.
3. Your child is afraid he won't make any friends. 

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?