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PICTURE BOOKS
Zoboi, Ibi

First Day Around the World

48 pp. | HarperCollins/Versify | June, 2025 | Trade ISBN 9780063078888 $19.99
(2) K-3 Illustrated by Juanita Londoño. Zoboi's (The People Remember, rev. 11/21) newest picture book celebrates the first day of school across the globe. Children ride the bus in Soweto, while in Lagos little ones cling to their grownups as they whoosh down the streets on the backs of motorbikes. Teachers greet their students in Swahili, Arabic, and Urdu, after which prayers and anthems are sung in various languages. The focus jumps from continent to continent, giving readers a glimpse into daily routines worldwide, with narration in collective first person: "In Karachi and Mumbai, we... In the classrooms of China, we..." Londono's digital illustrations are as cheerful and energetic as the students' faces. Smooth lines and soft colors are used to portray every city and classroom with small details differentiating each location. Students and caregivers of all skin colors, sizes, and abilities are lovingly illustrated throughout. While most of the children featured in the book are heading off to school, some must stay home or go to work to help their families. These contrasting experiences are shared without judgment, allowing the book to be a window into different worlds without didacticism. After a day of learning and play, children return home to their families recounting all they've experienced. An author's note recalls Zoboi's own first days of school in Haiti and in New York.
Reviewer: Hill Saxton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

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