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Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School

(2009, Fiction - School, Written by Herman Parish, Illustrated by Lynne Avril)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 3, age appropriate for kids over 5; suggested age 5.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Not much story, but kids will enjoy Amelia’s blunders.

Themes in this book include:   growing up

Why We Rated This on for Ages 5 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Not an issue.

  • Messages:

    Amelia Bedelia is excited to try everything new on her first day of school.

  • Role models:

    Positive-minded Amelia doesn’t even notice when she misinterprets information, and her teacher remains solidly supportive and helpful.

  • Illustrations:

    Cheerful, bright cartoons fit Amelia’s enthusiasm.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School

Parents need to know there is nothing of concern in this light book. While this is about Amelia’s first day of school, it may not be a good choice for kids who haven’t yet been to class -- the word games might confuse them rather than help them learn what to expect. Students who are well past first-day jitters will appreciate Amelia’s mix-ups more.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about misunderstandings. Have you ever been confused about what something meant? How did you clear up your confusion?
  • Amelia Bedelia gets confused by things like homophones, words that sound the same but mean different things -- such as here and hear. Come up with some other examples of homophones.
  • Amelia Bedelia also struggles with idioms, expressions whose meanings aren't always obvious -- such as when the cafeteria server tells Amelia "I hope your eyes aren't bigger than your stomach." Can you think of other idioms?
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