Abbe is about to start school. His big sister Maja has told him EVERYTHING: where you can play in the schoolyard, that you have to eat with a knife and fork, sit quietly for at least five minutes in the dining hall, and wipe yourself when you’ve gone to the bathroom. Some of those things make Abbe a little nervous. What if he can’t do them? But then he thinks about all the fun things about starting school, like having gym class in a real gymnasium with ropes and bars! Abbe also likes reading and writing, so school should be okay. Especially since Luca will be there, Abbe’s best friend who started school last year. Surely he will want to play during breaks.

Abbe Starts School is a book about the jitteriness and excitement of starting school, but also about all the things that might make you nervous. Jennifer Berglund is the illustrator behind the wonderful images.