Harry Versus the First 100 Days of School by Emily Jenkins

Abstract

Reviewed by: Harry Versus the First 100 Days of School by Emily Jenkins Kate Quealy-Gainer, Assistant Editor Jenkins, Emily Harry Versus the First 100 Days of School; illus. by Pete Oswald. Schwartz & Wade, 2021 [256p] Library ed. ISBN 9780525644729 $20.99 Trade ed. ISBN 9780525644712 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780525644736 $10.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 1-3 Daycare and kindergarten weren’t particularly difficult for young Harry, but the first-grade classroom is in the big kid part of the school, and Harry’s certain it will come with all sorts of big kid troubles, like mean teachers, reading lessons, twisty hallways, and, worse, guinea pigs. He’s not entirely wrong—his teacher is a bit strict and the classwork is slightly harder—but his first hundred days of school prove to him there are plenty of other things that make it special, including new experiences with friends and, yes, guinea pigs. Short daily entries follow Harry’s first grade trials and travails, but while the format makes for some nicely chunked pieces of easy reading, it also makes the experience disjointed, listing school happenings that never coalesce into a connected plot. More successful, however, are the small, entirely relatable details Jenkins includes—friendships strained over the possession of the special green pencil, challenging words showing up on the Sparkly Word Wall, and of course, the increasing excitement surrounding the 100th day of school—to create an authentic, realistic picture of the elementary classroom milieu. Kids getting through their first few months of first grade, whether happily or a bit less so, will find a kindred spirit in Harry. Copyright © 2021 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois