Olu’s Teacher: A Story About Starting Preschool

First-day-of-school fears are eased when a child discovers his new teacher is warm and approachableand looks likehimin a tender picture-book debut.

Olu is nervous about going to school for the first timehis legs are shaking and his tummy feels wobbly. He knows his friends will be there, but he doesnt know what the teacher will be like. What doteachers look like? Where do they live? What do they eat? What if his teacher breathes fire, like a dragon? Ohhhhh . . . MACARONI! Luckily for Olu, his parents talk to him about teachers, assuring him theyre just people who help you learn about the world. But as Olu walks with his mom to school, he is still anxious. What willhisteacher be like? Early childhood educator Jamel C. Campbell addresses a common fear that children all over the world experience at the start of a new school year in a sweet, reassuring story paired with the gentle, welcoming illustrations of Lydia Mba. An authors note addressed to grown-ups explains that meeting childrens needs in times of transition helps to build confidence, resilience, and openness to future exploration.