Amelia Bedelia goes to school and mixes up just about everything in this bright and funny picture book about the childhood of the iconic character. In the first book in the nationally bestselling series about the childhood of America's favorite literal-minded housekeeper, Amelia Bedelia is sure that she will absolutely love school—after all, what's not to love? But after hopping on the bus "just like a bunny" (hurry up, sweetie!), confusing her name tag with a game (we are not playing tag), and gluing herself to her seat (oh, dear), Amelia Bedelia discovers that what she takes for granted is not always the way the world works. Still, friendships are formed, lessons are learned, and projects are completed, and through it all Amelia Bedelia's teacher, Mrs. Edwards, offers gentle guidance and an open heart. The Amelia Bedelia books have sold more than 35 million copies! PreS-Gr 2—Returning with her pun-filled humor and misunderstandings of certain expressions, Amelia Bedelia has her first day of school in this adventure. Her day is full of confusion—she thinks her teacher is playing tag when she tries to give her a nametag, and Amelia doesn't understand that she is supposed to say her name when roll is called. During craft time, Amelia's teacher tells her to glue herself to her seat, which she literally does. When Amelia is the only child left, Miss Edwards admits that it's her first day of school as well, which emphasizes the theme that it's okay to be nervous about new experiences. Children will laugh at Amelia Bedelia's antics, and in many cases, the illustrations enhance the text's humor. Not all of the jokes are explained, which gives parents and caregivers an opportunity to explain the sayings or children a chance to figure them out on their own. Young readers will relate to the emotions that Amelia feels, including enthusiasm for all of her activities and confusion about what she is supposed to be doing. The plot is cohesive, the characters are fully developed, and this book is comparable to other Amelia Bedelia titles by Herman Parish, but humor aside, it may not stand out in the broader field of children's literature. VERDICT Purchase where "Amelia Bedelia" books are popular or where additional back to school books are needed.—Liz Anderson, DC Public Library “No child can resist Amelia [Bedelia] and her literal trips through the minefield of the English language―and no adult can fail to notice that she’s usually right when she’s wrong.” - New York Times Book Review “Readers will giggle over Amelia [Bedelia]’s mishaps, and her genuine joie de vivre may assuage first-day fears.” - Publishers Weekly “Amelia [Bedelia] wears her new picture-book format well…[it] works beautifully as a new way to encounter the gaffe-prone gal.” - Booklist “Returning with her pun-filled humor and misunderstandings of certain expressions, Amelia Bedelia has her first day of school in this adventure...Children will laugh at Amelia Bedelia’s antics, and in many cases, the illustrations enhance the text’s humor. ...Young readers will relate to the emotions that Amelia feels.” - School Library Journal Amelia Bedelia is sure she will love everything about the first day of school. New friends - A new teacher - Her own desk - Music, books, gym, art - Recess and lunch Amelia Bedelia can't wait. What could be better? School! School! Hooray for school! Amelia Bedelia has been making readers laugh since 1963, when the first Amelia Bedelia book was published. Now, for the first time, you can meet the young Amelia Bedelia. Come join the fun! Herman Parish (1953-2024) was in the fourth grade when his aunt, Peggy Parish, created Amelia Bedelia, the literal-minded housekeeper. Peggy Parish wrote twelve books in the series before she passed away in 1988. The interest of educators and the enthusiasm of young readers prompted Herman Parish to continue the character in 1995 with his first book, Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia . Herman Parish went on to add more than forty books to the series, carrying on Amelia Bedelia’s adventures in books such as the bestselling Amelia Bedelia, Bookworm. Additionally, Herman Parish broke new ground by portraying Amelia Bedelia as a young girl. Young Amelia is featured in picture books for the youngest children, I Can Read Level 1 beginning readers, and a series of chapter books. Sixty million copies later, Amelia Bedelia is a beloved character for readers young and old. Lynne Avril is a painter and illustrator, best known for her work on the young Amelia Bedelia book series, written by Herman Parish. She has illustrated well over 100 books in her career. As a painter, her works are visual journals of her life, reflecting thoughts, travels, and music (she’s a bass player too!). Lynne Avril grew up in Montana and received her BA in art from the University of Montana, and lives in Portland, Oregon.
