A stoic little boy musters the courage to cross the classroom threshold and face many unknowns.
Oakton, Va.— For many, the road to independence is that first day of preschool, where you walk into a room full of peers and you realize you don’t know a single person. You’ve had four years of social training on potty and polite manners, and now comes the true test: are you ready for the real world? “Today I Joined a Preschool,” (published by Atmosphere Press) has just been released.
Jaxon has just moved to town and decides it’s time to “make friends and commence his education.” He must fathom the rules, make his mistakes, and divine the unconventional playground traditions of his new cohorts. During outdoor play, he sets out to investigate what appears to be water on the other side of a ponderous playground, and finds it was only a mirage—the sun’s reflection off the playground’s commodious sandbox. He digs in, finds an Arabian horse and sets off across the desert, “risking the searing heat and lack of water.” Soon, he is “joined by a rider coming up from the east, and they ride two abreast to the edge of the sea,” where they find refreshing cool water to splash around in. Not only has Jaxon made his first friend, but one who knows the rules and can help him safely navigate the rest of the school day. With expressive illustrations by Sarah Gledhill, here is a quiet story for an unsettling time in a child’s life—perfect for those starting preschool or kindergarten.
Liza Martini states, “My character, Jaxon, knows what needs to be done, he knows he cannot put off the inevitable forever, so he faces the day pragmatically. He learns the rules as he goes, and yes, he makes mistakes. But most importantly, he endures and is rewarded with friendship. But even if he hadn’t made a friend on that first day, this story reminds children that failure does not have to be the end of the story. We show up the next day and try again.”
Jaxon’s perseverance pays off in the end with a new friend, but children learn that failure doesn’t need to be the end of the story.
“Today I Joined a Preschool” is available now through all major book retailers.
“Today I Joined a Preschool”
By Liza Martini
Hardcover | 8.5 x 0.25 x 11 inches | 32 pages | ISBN 9798901742365
Softcover | 8.5 x 0.08 x 11 inches | 32 pages | ISBN 9798901741849
Ebook | 32 pages | ISBN 9798901745274
About the Author
A librarian by avocation and an avid student of kid-speak, Martini has immersed herself in the wonder of children’s books and the excitement they create when kids discover a great story for the first time. Her first middle-grade book, “The Caroler,” won the Purple Dragonfly award for excellence in children’ s literature, and her second, “Squirrels of Speedwell Farms,” is a Readers’ Choice Book Awards Gold Winner. Her short story, “Mr. Bandersnatch,” won the fiction category of the Next Generation Short Story Awards, and appeared in its 2024 Anthology of Winners. This is her first picture book. Today I Joined a Preschool has just been released and is currently making the rounds for reviews and accolades.
Published by Atmosphere Press, founded in 2015 on the principles of Honesty, Transparency, Professionalism, Kindness, and making your Book Awesome. For more information, visit www.atmospherepress(dot)com
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