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Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous: a first-day-of-school dilemma

I like it. It acknowledges that it’s okay to have mixed feelings about big events, like starting school for the first time: Lena wakes up excited about her first day of kindergarten, but when she goes to get dressed, she discovers her shoes are nervous. She encourages her headband and her shoes to have a heart-to-heart talk, and after the shoes explain that school is big and loud and different and they’d really rather not go, the headband reminds the shoes about other times they were all scared but decided to be brave together (the illustrations indicate doctors’ visits, ending with a lollipop, a scary movie that turned out funny, and meeting a big dog who turned out friendly). Shoes still aren’t quite convinced until Lena threatens to wear her slippers instead, at which point they decide to be brave together. When they reach the playground, the shoes get a little nervous again, causing Lena to walk slower than usual, but not for long. I like that it is told in a way that is respectful of all the feelings churned up by this new experience.