School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Tony Baloney is back, this time in easy-reader format. The little macaroni penguin is excited about his first day of school, and even a bossy big sister can't bring him down. His stuffed animal, Dandelion, is nervous but Tony reassures him. The day doesn't go quite as smoothly as planned, but by simply being himself, Tony makes a friend and inspires levity in his rule-loving teacher. The vocabulary is too high for those just beginning school to tackle on their own. However, this would be a fun book for caregivers to share with a child starting school or for slightly older children to read independently. The universal topic, along with alliteration and humor, gives it wide appeal. Heavy use of primary colors makes the illustrations stand out, and Tony Baloney himself is appealingly drawn. An excellent first purchase.-Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Tony Baloney the penguin faces his first day of school in this early reader, and as in his eponymous 2010 picture book, he uses imagined conversations with his stuffed bird, Dandelion, to work out his feelings. "What if I get lost on the way to the bathroom? What if I don't find a place to sit at lunchtime? What if I can't follow the rules?" Dandelion asks Tony, who carefully assuages his fears: "Don't worry, we can do it. I'll be there if you need me." Some first-day foibles necessitate a check-in with Dandelion: "And then Mrs. Gamboney had a little talk with me about the rules," he tells the stuffed bird. "Oh, and I'm not Line Leader." The frayed Dandelion replies, "Yeah. We sort of knew that might happen. Give it time, dude!" Ryan divides Tony's day into four chapters, and Fotheringham's blue, reds, and orange accents pop as Tony and Dandelion model a growing sense of independence and the ability to learn from mistakes. Ages 5-7. Author's agent: Kendra Marcus, BookStop Literary. Illustrator's agent: Pat Hackett, Artist Representative. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.