R O S E M A RY
W E L L S
THIS BOOK BELONGS TO:
ROSEMARY WELLS is the author and illustrator of more than 120 books for children and one of the most beloved voices in contemporary picture books. She is best known for creating enduring characters such as Max and Ruby, Yoko, Noisy Nora, and Shy Charles, whose stories have comforted and delighted generations of young readers. In addition to her own books, Wells has illustrated classic works including My Very First Mother Goose, edited by Iona Opie, and poems from A. A. Milne’s When We Were Very Young. Her work is celebrated for its emotional honesty, gentle humor, and deep respect for children’s inner lives. She is also the author of If You Believe in Me, published by Red Comet Press. Rosemary Wells lives in New England.
Hello, School! Text & illustrations copyright © 2027 Rosemary Wells Published in 2027 by Red Comet Press, LLC, Brooklyn, NY All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Library of Congress Control Number: 2026935927 ISBN (HB): 978-1-63655-178-4 ISBN (EBOOK): 978-1-63655-174-6 26 27 28 29 30 TLF 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 First Edition Manufactured in China Red Comet Press is distributed by ABRAMS, New York
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ROSEMARY WELLS
R E D C O M E T P R E S S • B R O O K LY N R ED COMET PR ESS • BROOK LY N
Monday morning, Eva’s family moves into a new house. Everything is going to be brand new for Eva. Especially her new school.
So exciting! So scary!
That afternoon, Milo looks out the window of his school bus. He sees a moving van next door to his house. Who could be moving in? I bet she’d like a cookie!
I miss all my friends!
Eva is sitting on one of the big boxes. She takes the cookie, but she doesn’t look happy.
Eva tells Milo she is scared about going to a new school on a new school bus.
Come over and have another cookie! I’ll tell you all about it!
I’ll ask my mama if it’s okay.
Yes!
At Milo’s house, Milo’s daddy welcomes Eva.
Milo! Draw Eva a map of the school so she can see where everything is!
My class knows you’re coming. We start every morning in Ms. Green’s room, right here.
Milo draws a map of the school for Eva on a brown paper bag.
The next morning Milo and Eva take the bus.
It’s a big, big school!
Once you know where you’re going it’s easy. There’s a map of the school right inside!
Washroom
Art
Our World
Gym Homeroom
Nurse
Music
Writer’s Workshop
Math
Maker’s Space
Playground
Library
Cafeteria
Science
Garden
HOMEROOM There’s a big welcome banner for Eva in Mrs. Green’s classroom.
Everyone sings the Sunnyside School song. Eva doesn’t think she’ll ever remember the words.
It’s right next to mine!
Wow!
Maggie shows Eva her cubby. Next, Mrs. Green asks Maggie to take Eva to the library.
LIBRARY Ms. Salvadore welcomes Eva and Maggie. Then she reads The Runaway Bunny.
Eva picks out a book to enjoy and return. She selects Space Girls at Home. Maggie takes Space Girls in Trouble.
SCIENCE
Victor is Eva’s science room guide. They are just in time to watch the underwater volcanoes. Your class, Eva, is growing crystals. They look like sapphires and diamonds!
Mr. Levy gives Eva a packet of crystal seeds.
Mr. Levy’s science room has magnets and microscopes, batteries and butterflies, thermometers and a windup alligator.
The first graders march in with their leaf collections.
Eva can’t take her eyes off the butterfly wing under the microscope.
MUSIC
Martha takes Eva to the music room. Mrs. Harmoni and the junior orchestra play “Ode to Joy” on the triangles and violin. Everyone in Sunnyside School plays an instrument! Take your pick, Eva!
The sound of Mrs. Harmoni’s violin brings swooping magic to Eva’s ears. There is no contest. It’s the violin for Eva.
WASHROOM & SNACK It’s morning break. Everyone stops in the washroom for clean hands before eating. Then it’s snack time.
I’m Eva!
Hi! I’m Foxy Roxy!
OUR WORLD
There’s Africa!
Madeline takes Eva to the map room for Our World class. Mr. Tuthill gives Eva map paper so she can draw a map of her own.
The kinders have made maps of their classroom.
The first graders have made maps of the school.
After that there are maps of the town, the state, and the country.
And last, the big kids do a map of the world.
MAKER’S SPACE
Mr. Bernardo suggests Eva make a bird feeder out of an old egg carton.
Milo takes Eva to the maker’s space. Everyone is busy making and repairing all kinds of things.
I’m going to fix my robot so he walks.
We are making a paper cup telephone.
And we made a real battery out of lemons, pennies, and nails!
The lemon battery works! It lights up a tiny night-light bulb.
CAFETERIA
Milo and Maggie take Eva to the cafeteria for lunch. Everyone sings the cafeteria song before eating.
tha
whole world could e h t n i g n i be cheerie “ Noth r a f c e t y e n r n i u a! We . s r u o n i g . . are . . . n eatin
thankful!”
Yum!
Eva chooses soup and a sandwich. There are carrots, celery, and edamame beans. Plus fruit for dessert and milk to drink.
PLAYGROUND
Mack, Mack, Mack, al y r a M s s i l dresse “M s n , e s d in black, black, black. r a e k k e a r s , sn ea ne s r e h t p kers in e Sh e k a burlap sack, sack, sack!”
After lunch is kickball and jump rope time in the playground.
Last spring the kinders planted sunflowers in the school garden. Now they are first graders. They harvest the seeds and share them with everyone. The sunflower seeds are delicious.
GARDEN
Asa volunteers to take Eva to math class, but first . . .
NURSE Next door to my office is the Quiet Time room. It’s for anyone who has just had too much.
Eva’s new shoes have hurt her toes. The school nurse, Ms. Calico, puts on some Blist-Off and a Band-Aid.
MATH
Math time is next. There is a climb-aboard abacus in the math room. It helps everyone learn to count.
Eva, I’ll give you a pocket-size abacus for practice.
On the math room wall is a big quilt. The kinders made all the shapes—triangles, circles, diamonds, squares, and rectangles. Then the fourth graders sewed them into a quilt. Mrs. Sing hung it behind her desk.
ART Mr. Brzostoski is the art teacher.
Eva makes a clay bowl for her mama.
Call me Mr. Bro.
So many things to choose from!
The third graders have made watercolor cloud pictures. Eva wants to try watercolor next.
WRITER’S WORKSHOP
Write about your day, Eva!
In the writing workshop everyone is busy writing.
Mrs. Green gives Eva her very own journal. Eva uses her most careful handwriting.
“Gym tomorrow,” says Mrs. Green. “Don’t forget your sneakers!”
Come on, Eva, let’s not get lost in the school bus hullabaloo.
At bedtime Eva shows her mama and daddy all the things that she has brought home. They marvel at everything.
What’s your favorite?
The best thing of the whole day?
My new friends! They’re the best in the world!
NEW FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR ROSEMARY WELLS Max and Ruby, The Little Chefs, Yoko, and Voyage to the Bunny Planet
There’s so much to discover!
New Neighbors
Learning Music
Eva’s first day of school is full of new faces and surprises. There are so many wonderful things to learn. But best of all, a new school means making new friends.
New Friends!
Cheerful Teachers $22.99 US I $31.00 CN I £16.99 UK ISBN 978-1-63655-178-4
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9 781636 551784 RedCometPress.com Cover Illustrations © Rosemary Wells • Printed in China
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