The queen of kindergarten

Select an Action

Title:

The queen of kindergarten

Author:

Barnes, Derrick, author.

Brantley-Newton, Vanessa, illustrator.

Summary:

MJ is more than ready for her first day of kindergarten! With her hair freshly braided and her mom's special tiara on her head, she knows she’s going to rock kindergarten. But the tiara isn’t just for show—it also reminds her of all the good things she brings to the classroom, stuff like her kindness, friendliness, and impressive soccer skills, too! Like The King of Kindergarten, this is the perfect book to reinforce back-to-school excitement and build confidence in the newest students. -- Amazon.

Audience:

Ages 3-5. Nancy Paulsen Books.

Physical Description:

1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 27 cm

Genre:

Picture books.

Subject Term:

First day of school -- Juvenile fiction.

Kindergarten -- Juvenile fiction.

Schools -- Juvenile fiction.

Self-confidence -- Juvenile fiction.

African American girls -- Juvenile fiction.

Author(s):

Brantley-Newton, Vanessa,

Publisher:

Nancy Paulsen Books,

Publication Date:

2022

ISBN:

9780593111420

Publication Information:

New York : Nancy Paulsen Books, 2022

Call Number:

P BARNES

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003674705	New Picture Books	BARNES	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

A confident little Black girl has a fantastic first day of school in this companion to the New York Times bestseller The King of Kindergarten.

MJ is more than ready for her first day of kindergarten! With her hair freshly braided and her mom's special tiara on her head, she knows she's going to rock kindergarten. But the tiara isn't just for show--it also reminds her of all the good things she brings to the classroom, stuff like her kindness, friendliness, and impressive soccer skills, too! Like The King of Kindergarten , this is the perfect book to reinforce back-to-school excitement and build confidence in the newest students.

Author Notes

Derrick Barnes is the author of the empowering New York Times bestsellers The King of Kindergarten , I Am Every Good Thing , which won the NCTE Charlotte Huck Award and the Kirkus Prize, and Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut , which received a Newbery Honor, a Coretta Scott King Honor, the Kirkus Prize, and the Ezra Jack Keats Award. He also wrote the bestselling chapter book series Ruby and the Booker Boys . Derrick is a native of Kansas City, MO and a graduate of Jackson State University and was the first African American male creative copywriter hired by greeting card giant, Hallmark Cards. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and their four sons.

Vanessa Brantley-Newton has illustrated numerous picture books, including The King of Kindergarten (by Derrick Barnes), The Girl Who Heard Colors (by Marie Harris), Mary Had a Little Glam (by Tammi Sauer), One Love (by Cedella Marley), A Night Out with Mama (by Quvenzhané Wallis), and The Youngest Marcher (by Cynthia Levinson), as well as the chapter book series Ruby and the Booker Boys (by Derrick Barnes) and Jada Jones (by Kelly Starling Lyons). She wrote and illustrated Let Freedom Sing and Grandma's Purse . She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

PreS-K--Highly recommended for all royalty entering kindergarten, as well as others who can see themselves bringing their special gifts to make their school, and world, better by their actions and positive spirit.

Publisher's Weekly Review

In this companion to the collaborators' The King of Kindergarten, a Black girl named MJ Malone is given a tiara by her Momma and instructed in the ways of kindergarten sovereignty: "First, us queens brighten up every room we enter. Second, us queens are caring and kind. And third, the good ones are always helpful to others," Barnes writes. A quick study, MJ takes on the "brightening" role of window monitor ("It'll be my job to open up the blinds and let the sunlight in"), comforts a homesick classmate, and helps another put away blocks. Brantley-Newton embellishes inclusive classroom scenes with swirls and bubbles of cheery color, limning kindergarten as a happy, busy place from day one, with plenty of opportunities to shine ("Did I tell you how good I am at soccer? Don't let the tiara fool ya"). Making MJ the narrator underscores her confidence, maturity, and sense of belonging, helping the protagonist--and readers--feel that she's got this. Ages 3--5. (May)