***Thank you Clavispublishing and NetGalley for providing me a free copy of the book in exchange for honest feedback.***

'Emma's First Day of School' is -As the title suggests-a children's book that talks about a kid called Emma on her first day of school.
First off, the art was so soft and cute. And I really appreciated how diverse the characters were and how naturally woven into the story that was.
It has many wholesome and sweet messages i.e: The message of how kids shouldn't feel anxious and afraid of getting separated from their parents for some time was-again-incorporated into the book so smoothly.
Also, the message of 'how kids should love and embrace themselves' was cleanly woven throughout the whole book.
Highly recommend it to parents who want to ease their children's fear of their first adventure to/at school.

Emma’s first day of school has arrived and she has a case of the nerves! Her mom reminds her that all birds eventually have to leave the nest. This sparks an idea for Emma to help her feel brave: her flamingo costume! When Emma shows up at school, all her classmates decide they would like to join in on the fun. This story can serve as a great reminder for children and families that being ourselves is the best thing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Clavis Publishing for the download of this book! It was a cute read, and what drew me to the book initially was the illustration on the cover, and the fact that it related to the first day of school. The illustrations are beautifully done and engaging throughout the story. It was a sweet tale about a little girl named Emma who is nervous for her first day of school. She decides to wear a Flamingo costume to give her confidence, and her mom tells her to just be herself. It actually goes over well with her class.
One thing I will note is that the sentence structure was a bit off. Some sentences started with "And..." or "Because..." However with this being a translation it is understandable. It also doesn't exactly students what to expect at school. They realistically won't be able to just dress up and play right on the first day of school, but you never know.

I would recommend this book for a child around Pre-K or Kindergarten age who may be nervous about starting school or just as a fun read at the beginning of the year. I was not asked to do this review and it is my own honest opinion.

A sweet little story about little Emma and how she handles her first day of school.

Emma is very excited and has woken up very early. Why? Because it is her first day of school! A new dress, a new backpack, a new lunchbox – all add to the excitement. But Emma is also jittery. To enhance her confidence, she decided to wear her favourite flamingo costume to school. Her new classmates love her costume and decide to join in the fun of dress up. But all through, Emma remembers her mother’s advice – “Just be yourself”.

Originally published in Dutch, this translated story is really cute. Aimed at 3-5 year olds, it incorporates many fun elements but still delivers the important message of being true to yourself.

The illustrations, sketched by the author himself, are outstanding and enhance the story with their bright hues and warm vibes.

Why I am not going higher in my rating:
1. I am unsure of how to feel about Emma’s solution – wearing a bird costume to school. It worked for her in the story, but what if children reading this book get a similar idea in their heads and demand complicated costumes for day one of school? It might be tough for parents to walk out of that one.
2. If the advice is “just be yourself”, why would you need a costume to hide under? Slightly contradictory.

Recommended to those little hearts who are taking their first steps towards school/daycare, as long as parents keep the above two points in mind.

4 stars.

My thanks to Clavis Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “Emma's First Day of School”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Emma's First Day of School would be a perfect book for any child starting school. It tells the story of Emma, who is nervous for her first day of school and wears her fun flamingo costume to school! I loved the different animal sounds of the other children and how they supported her.

This is a wonderful book about the jittery first day of school. It is written in simple language that is suitable for young children to understand and relate to. The illustrations, also by the author, are absolutely beautiful. The message is clear - just be yourself! Recommended!!

Charming illustrated. I requested this one because my little one will be starting school in the fall. He would really like the animal costumes near the end of the book. I'm a little apprehensive to read it to him however because the main character has a little bit of nerves about starting school and I don't want to put that idea in his head....

Would maybe be best for a child that is already nervous.

"Just be yourself' a great message found in a great book. First days of school are hard for everyone, but Emma found a way to acknowledge her fear,yet move past it. I really enjoyed this book and I think your children will too

I read this book with my seven years old, and he enjoyed it. He learned the essence of “being yourself.”

It’s a great book with fun illustrations and is easy to read that will have your kids engaged all throughout the story.

A very sweet book about starting a new adventure! The first day of school or daycare or a new activity can be very scary for little ones. This is a cute little book full of bright, happy pictures about having fun during a new transition. Parents will love this to read to their little ones leading up to the start of school!

Emma is nervous about her first day of school and feels like a bird about to leave the nest. She decides to wear her flamingo costume to school, and finds her first day filled with fun and new friends. This charming, delightful story will be a treat for kids who find themselves feeling the same as Emma as school approaches,

Emma is ready for her first day of school until she gets nervous about going. She decides to dress in her flamingo costume so that she feels strong like the bird outside her window, flying and venturing from its nest. Her mom encourages her to just be herself. She finds that she can get past being afraid by “daring to be” herself.

The cover and title might appeal more to little girls since it is about a girl and is pink toned; however, some of her classroom friends are boys, which would bring more interest to a coed audience.

The cover is bright and cheerful and the illustrations, also created by the author, are eye catching. As Emma and her friends are dressing in costumes, one half of the page is the classroom and the other half is the habitat of the animal costume. This builds interest as the background changes. A brilliant idea! All in all, this is a cute story with a meaningful purpose and is suitable for children preschool and up when facing the first day of school or any other first time event.

I received this book from the author/publisher free of charge, with no expectation of a positive review.

I love all the colors used in the book and the illustrations are beautiful.

This is definitely a book I would buy for my baby niece.

It does get a little confusing having the words scattered about on some of the pages.

This book is quick, but very cute! I love the premise of the book about being yourself. Everyone can get a little scared on the first day of school.. Its new, exciting and a little nerve-wracking. The colors are pretty & eye-catching and I think its a beautiful book to share with a younger audience. Animals are always a big hit!

My niece randomly requested I read her a story, so I downloaded this. So glad I did. Such a sweet story with a great message. The illustrations are beautiful. The flamingo costume was so detailed, we loved looking at it. Love the message of being yourself even if you are nervous and I love how encouraging her mother was. A very sweet story to read to kids, especially at the beginning of the school year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clavis Publishing for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Emma’s First Day of School was cute. My son (4yo) liked the pictures. He did not understand why she wanted to go to school dressed like a flamingo but liked the idea of dressing up in costume.

We read this book in English.

Thank you to NetGalley, Clavis Publishing and Federico van Lunter for allowing us to read this advanced eCopy.

I love books that help kids explore the big feelings they have. This book does just that! It’s the perfect book for any child with first day of school jitters!!

Great book to read to your children that will be starting or going back to school in September. Most kids have a little bit of anxiety returning to school after the summer break and Emma had those same anxieties. The book will show kids to just be themselves and everything will be ok.

Emma’s First Day of School is a cute book to get children ready for school. I have a granddaughter who is 2 that I would like to read the book to. I think she would find the book cute as she likes books.

This is the perfect first day of school read aloud for my Pre-K students. This book explores Emma's day as she prepares for her first day of school. Anxiety is met with confidence as she dressed in her favorite costume. Hesitation is met with excitement from peers as Emma is seen as an inspiration for their imagination. Colorful photos and easy-to-understand dialogue makes this the expect first day book.

Thank you to Federico van Lunter, the publisher, and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.