Sam's First Day

This is a delightful picture book with illustrations which enrich the easy-flowing text. The story is one which children can identify with as we follow Sam from home to his first day at school. Although a chatterbox at home (amusingly illustrated), he becomes very quiet at school. It is only at the end of the day when he sees his mum and sister coming to pick him up that he finds his voice again! There are some lovely details in the illustrations which invite engagement with the story and discussion of young readers' own memories of the 'first day at school'. The use of speech bubbles in the first few pages is imaginative - rather than writing Sam's actual words, Finlay fills them with pictorial references and the word 'Blah' - a delightfully graphic way of inviting us to compose his chatter, in whatever language we choose. The Bengali text is clear and well placed above (or alongside on some double page spreads) the English version; an excellent dual text. Available in 16 other dual language editions.