Máire Zepf

Benno is excited for his first day of school, but must convince his reluctant mother that it is a good idea. Speaking gently, he reassures her when she is afraid to leave home, encourages her to befriend the other parents, once they reach the school, and diplomatically convinces her to go home, once he has settled in. Sometimes people are afraid of new things, but with a little boy like Benno, they're sure to get past their fears...

Máire Zepf's Don't Go To School is one of the few books I have encountered in English, that was translated from Irish. Usually books published 'as Gaeilge' stay that way, but this one, first printed in 2015 by the Galway-based Futa Fata as Ná gabh ar scoil!, was released this past year (2017) here in New York. A clever inversion of the usual "first day of school jitters" story, Zepf's narrative will offer reassurance to young children in an amusing way. Tarsila Krüse's colorful, cartoon-style artwork ably captures the humor of the story. Recommended to anyone looking for first day of school stories that take an unconventional approach.… (meer)