Kids can prep for school with help from Peppa Pig

Your first few days of going to school are gonna be big.

There’ll be all kinds of kids to meet, and you’ll make some new friends. You’ll see your teacher, and you’ll find your desk and the bathrooms. There’ll be lots to learn, lots to remember, and it’s going to be lots of fun.

Most of all, you’ll be kept very busy. In the new book “Peppa Pig and the Busy Day at School,” you’ll see how much there is to do.

At breakfast one morning, Peppa Pig was very excited. It was Special Talent Day at school, and she had many skills she could choose to share. She was particularly good at jumping rope, singing and dancing.

When she got to school, her friends were already there: Pedro Pony, Rebecca Rabbit and Candy Cat had arrived. So did Zoe Zebra and Danny Dog. As they got settled, Madame Gazelle explained that they’d share their Special Talents that afternoon — but first, they had a busy day ahead of them.

To start, the class had to practice counting out loud. And they were very loud.

Then they played an alphabet game, which made them think hard.

Then they pretended to own a store and run a shop. Danny Dog wanted cookies. Peppa offered him a toy telephone instead. Pedro wanted a loaf of bread, but Peppa gave him a dollhouse, and everyone thought that was funny.

The class spent time making art, and Peppa tried to teach George how to paint a flower. George didn’t want to paint a flower, so he painted something else. They had a delicious lunch, and played outside on the playground afterward — although it wasn’t so fun for Peppa, who had trouble with the tire swing. When everyone came inside, it was music time … and then, the event they were all waiting for.

Peppa Pig waited patiently for her turn, but someone else jumped rope. Someone else sang a song. Then someone else danced. Peppa didn’t have one single Special Talent that hadn’t already been done!

Madame Gazelle told Peppa to think. Surely, there was something else that Peppa was good at …wasn’t there?

Remember how nervous you got the night before the first day of school, wondering what would happen and if you’d get a nice teacher? You can soothe those first-day jitters for your child by reading “Peppa Pig and the Busy Day at School.”

Based on the TV program starring Peppa herself, this book takes younger readers through an average day at Peppa’s school, including all the fun things she and her friends learn and play. Because they’re quite different in the picture book world, kids may find the simple, uncomplicated illustrations to be appealing; as a parent, you’ll be happy that this book is great for any kid up through first grade.

So the backpack is packed. The First-Day Outfit is chosen. Now send your child to school with a friend by reading this book first. For your 3- to 7-year-old, “Peppa Pig and the Busy Day at School” makes everything cool.

View publishes Terri Schlichenmeyer’s reviews of childrens books weekly.