Not Yet, Yeti

If at first you don’t succeed, let your growth mindset kick in, communicates this picture book. Armed with his unicorn backpack and lunch box, plus red sneakers and a good-luck hug, Yeti feels ready to seize the first day of school. He makes friends and tries new things, but when a name-writing worksheet and feeding the classroom fish prove a bridge too far, Yeti grows frustrated. Fortunately, an encouraging teacher (“I can see how hard you’re working”) and supportive human classmates, portrayed with varied skin tones, are on hand to cheer Yeti’s efforts when he tries again, helping him to learn persistence and develop resilience in Freitas’s narrative, created in consultation with literacy experts. Frost saturates digitally created spreads with backgrounds in kicky colors—crisply highlighting Yeti’s blue face and textural white fur. Filled with smiling friends, books and playthings galore, and the class’s bug-eyed pet goldfish, Yeti’s classroom looks like a fun place to visit, making for a gladsome invitation and reminder: “We all get to try again tomorrow.” Ages 3–7. (June)