I enjoyed reading My Teacher’s Not Here, as I have worked within the schools and realize chaos can occur when routines are disrupted. When Kitty arrives at school, she knows immediately something is wrong—her teacher, Miss Seabrooke, isn't there to welcome her. Kitty doesn't know how she'll make it through the day without her teacher, who simply knows how to do everything. The perfectly describes how anxieties a student might have when they have never experienced a substitute teacher. I am a fan of rhyming text, as a speech language pathologist working with literacy. The gorgeous illustrations feature animals that kids will love, make this an excellent book for preparing kids for that first time with a “sub”. If you are a teacher, add this to your sub plans. Your students will enjoy listening to the story!

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for a pre-publication ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I am adding this adorable story to my emergency sub plans next year. I teach lower elementary students and they get sad when I am not there. I think this is a perfect book to share with them about how wonderful and fun a substitute teacher can be. The text is in a fun rhyming pattern which makes it a perfect beginning story. The animals in the story are adorably depicted and allow readers to empathize with Kitty and her fears that her teacher will not return. The illustrations are sweet and endearing. A perfect read aloud for younger children.

When Kitty arrives at school, she knows immediately something is wrong--her beloved teacher isn't there to great her. Kitty doesn't know how she'll make it through the day without her teacher, who knows how to do everything just right. How can Kitty make it through the day without Miss Seabrooke?

This is a terrific book! It perfectly captures the anxieties a child might have the first time she has a substitute teacher, while also showing how the child can cope. The rhyming text and adorable illustrations, featuring an animal cast that kids will love, make this an excellent choice for preparing kids for a potentially uncomfortable situation but also just make for a fun read for kids who might have already dealt with a substitute teacher. Very well done.

I read a copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

My Teacher’s Not Here!

written by Lana Button

illustrated by Christine Battuz


My Teacher’s Not Here! is an endearing story designed to help children adapt to change, particularly the fear of a substitute teacher in the early childhood years. In so many cases, teachers become substitute parents and much more as they guide twenty or more students through a specially designed routine and know the needs of each student.

The teachers and children in this book are adorably depicted as a variety of animals. The story is told in predictable rhyming patterns from the viewpoint of a cute, apprehensive kitten. Their loving teacher has left a note for the children saying she is counting on them to help Mr. Omar (a giraffe), and so the little kitty overcomes her fears and does everything she can to be helpful.

I highly recommend this book for reading to a classroom. It will help allay anxieties and prepare students for that inevitable time when the teacher will be absent. Although the illustrations depict a preschool classroom, students in K-2 would also enjoy the message and the rhymes.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kids Can Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Children’s Fiction

Notes: Ages 4-8
Grades P-2

Publication: April 3, 2018—Kids Can Press

Memorable Lines:

Smiling Miss Seabrooke should be here to meet me.
But my teacher is missing and NOT here to greet me.

Someone is standing
in MY teacher’s spot.
He’s ginormously TALL.
Miss Seabrooke is not.

A gentle title that will help young and nervous kids plan for the strangeness of having a substitute teacher. This is a worry that affects many young ones, and the shy and fearful Kitty learns that, yes, the day is different but things will still be okay.

My Teacher's Not Here is an adorable book about a little cat who is terrified to learn that their teacher is gone from school one day. It's a great read for younger students to prepare them for a substitute teacher, or "guest teacher," as my district now calls them. It does a great job of soothing the worries many children have when they find out their teacher will be absent.

Kitty gets to school and knows something's up when her teacher, Miss Seabrooke, isn't there to meet her. What's going on? There's another teacher there today! How does school even work when your teacher is absent? This sweet rhyming tale about a student's first substitute teacher is great for younger kids who are just getting into the swing of school routines and provides some fun advice for coping with and adjusting to unexpected change. Kitty teaches readers some coping strategies, including helping out her friends and the teacher by contributing to class and modeling good behavior using cues she learned from her teacher, that the substitute may not be aware of. This is an animal story, so kids will enjoy seeing the "ginormously tall" teacher, a giraffe named Mr. Omar; pigs, elephants, bears, a whole menagerie of students. Hand-drawn artwork and digital collage come together to create colorful, textured, cartoony fun. This one's a good addition to preschool and primary collections.

Fun book about little children and their routine, how easily they worry when little things happen during their day.
Loved the pictures, I would read this book to my grandchildren.

A cute story about how Cat going to make the day when her teacher is absent for the day. Images are bright and colourful

Thanks to netgalley

What's a student to do when their teacher, who knows them so well isn't there to greet them when they step off the school bus. Run away! Cry and feign sickness? Or try to make it through the day?

Cons: I was a bit turned off by the cover of the book. It didn't have enough fun qualities.
Pros; A very good lesson to teach and open dialog with younger students. I'm glad I didn't let the cover keep me from reading it.

How is little Cat going to make it through the school day when her teacher is out sick? The new teacher doesn't know how to unstick her thermos or fix the zipper on her coat! The new teacher doesn't know the right good morning song! The new teacher is different!!
This is a really cute story about what we should do when our routine is broken up unexpectedly. This is perfect for those little ones who need to have things "just so." On top of the sweet story all of the little animal students are adorable!
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Teacher's Not Here is such a clever and thoughtful book. The author took time to really think about what a day like this might be for a child. Each moment when worry could creep was covered and I can see my own students finding comfort in this story. The author knew how to write words full of emotion that would easily connect to the reader. Another stand out from Kids Can Press!

Good read to teach kids about unexpected events. Great illistrations! Well done. Fun to read with kids. Would recommend adding this book to your library.

This adorable children's book tells the story of what happens to Kitty when Ms Seabrooke misses school. Kitty's unsure that school can continue without the guidance and leadership of her teacher. Ms Seabrooke's message reminds all the students to help Mr Omar while she's out. Kitty learns that she and her friends are up to the task of making the school day happen by working together in Ms Seabrooke's absence.

The pictures enhance the story and make the tale even more enjoyable for pre-K and K students.

I cannot get this to open, therefore, I have not read it and cannot review it. The cover looks cute though.

This was a fun little book to help any students that feel anxiety with going to school. Little children get into a routine and when something outside of that happens they can panic and worry and this book shows how they can still get on as normal. The book rhymes nicely and the images are cute too - 5 stars.

"There's Trouble at school! I can tell right away.
Miss Seabrooke? Where are you? Are you HERE today?"

Smiling Miss Seabooke should be here to meet me.
But my teacher is missing and NOT here to greet me.

Being a former Kindergarten teacher myself I totally understand the nervousness and apprehension in Kitty's voice as she shows up for school and her routine has been shaken. Her teacher is missing and not there to greet her good morning.

She remembers her teacher has been coughing a lot and she speculates that she is likely home sick trying to get better. So what is Kitty supposed to do? Should she go home too? Oh, oh the bell is ringing and classes are filing into the school just as usual. Oh my! This is very scary indeed.

Kitty tries to be brave and but has flashbacks of needing Miss Seabrooke to open up her thermos when she was unable to do so. She needs her to unstick her coat zipper when it is jammed. But most of all she needs Miss Seabrooke's hugs, the ones that she gives away so freely to her darling students. How will the kids keep on track as they go through their day together without her expert guidance and care? Oh my... my... my! This is just too much for a fragile kindergartener to figure out all on her own.

Her fears escalate even more as she peeks into her classroom and sees a strange guy inside with a deep voice beckoning them to enter. He is the exact opposite of her beloved teacher. He's tall and skinny and he's a ... MAN!!! Mr. Omar is his name and right away he shares a note from their teacher which confirms that she is indeed ill and will not be in for school today. She asks for the class to co-operate in helping Mr. Omar out in any way that they can and to please be kind and helpful to each other too. After they digest her written words the class settles down and her wisdom sinks into their minds then hearts building up their confidence that yes, they can do this without her.

Kitty's positive confession at the end of the school day says it all:

"It's the end of the day rush
matching kids with their things.
But we're ready for home
when the final bell rings.

The school bus is here!
I made it! I'm done!
I survived the WHOLE day.
(I even had FUN.)

The illustrations are adorable and full of expression that kid's can totally relate to. This charming book, told in rhyme, will instill self-assurance into little ones as they come face-to-face with unexpected changes in their familiar (and safe) routines that they look forward to each and every day as they head off to school. I highly recommend this book.

Students get into a routine. And that routine can be quite shaken when the teacher is out sick. This story looks into that situation in a fun sing song way. The rhymes flow quite nicely, as our little cat learns how she will be through the day without her usual teacher.

All kids worry when their teacher is not at school the first time she is absent and maybe every time. When Kitty realizes her teacher is not at school, she thinks she should go home. When she arrives in the class, there is a man standing where Miss Seabrook stands. She is upset and not sure what to do. After Mr. Omar points out a note left by her teacher, she realizes that she needs to stay and help Mr. Omar get through the day. The story is told in rhyming verse that I think kids will enjoy. The illustrations are wonderful, with lots of different animals as classmates, and expressions showing on their faces. This would be a great book for teachers to read at the beginning of the school year to kindergarten and grade 1 students with the opportunity to discuss the fact that they may be absent throughout the year, but it will be fine. Students will get the opportunity to understand that this is normal as well as showing them how they can help a substitute teacher. Parents could also read this to their children, especially if they are anxious. A must for all kindergarten and grade 1 classrooms.