First Day Around the World

This uplifting picture book visualizes the first day of school for children the world over. Beginning in Africa, where the rising sun eases “over Kenya and Tanzania,/ Uganda and Somalia,” communal lines read, “ ‘Habari za asubuhi!’ We sing in Swahili, welcoming the morning air.” As the narrative moves across continents, Zoboi references cultural elements such as food, language, song, religion, and music. Velvet-textured multimedia illustrations from Londoño supply cultural and geographical cues: on one page, children in China write with ink in Tian Zi Ge notebooks. Concluding in New York City, the work highlights diversity and interconnectivity across the globe, celebrating “believing and dreaming across oceans and borders.../ all around the world,/ on this first day.” An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–8. (June)