On the Night Before Kindergarten

A kitten’s anxieties about what might befall him on the first day of kindergarten prove pleasantly unfounded in Wells’s reassuring starting-school tale. On the night before the big day, young gray kitty Milo wakes up in a panic over the stressful events of “three unforgettable dreams”—wearing only his red rubber boots to school, forgetting how to count, and riding a runaway bus. His parents assure him that “happy new adventures” lie ahead, but after taking Milo to school the next morning, it’s Mama and Daddy who, contemplating the bad dreams Milo shared, stew about him throughout the day. Meanwhile, Milo quickly makes new friends, aces his counting, and brings a pal home on the bus. With her signature blend of humor and heart, Wells gives the concerns of parents and offspring a fresh twist en route to an abrupt ending; Mama waiting at the bus stop with binoculars is among the numerous amusing scenarios. Ages 4–8. (June)