Our Classroom Rules!

Our Classroom Rules!, a picture book, is great for those children who are nervous about their first day of preschool/kindergarten and for those who can relate to their love for school. Kallie George provides a quick peek into what new students can expect in a classroom. In this story, George cleverly plays on the word “rules”. George lists reasons for why the classroom ‘rules’(as in “is so great”), along with the ‘rules’ that the teacher and children have to follow in a classroom. George’s intentions are to make learning and following rules less scary by disguising them as fun lessons. For example, one of the rules was to line up, something Turtle did incorrectly. The teacher used that moment to show Turtle how to line up properly and that it was okay to make mistakes.

The colours and the loving characters in this book are very fun. They are first introduced on the front and back endpapers. Illustrator Jay Fleck is a genius for letting the child “get to know” their friends before entering a classroom. His attention to detail in the drawings enhances the story. On one of the pages, Fleck draws Porcupine and Hedgehog working by themselves in spelling their names and then, on the next page, they work together. Readers can see the mix-match of their crayons, indicating when they worked alone and when they worked together.

With a combination of cute animals, brief sentences on each page, and the pacing of the story, it’s easy for young readers to follow along. George and Fleck create excitement about school and encourage children to express themselves freely and to understand that they do not have to be the best, just to do their best.