One of the greatest treats about my website www.teachingheart.net is the treats authors will send me in hopes I will feature their book on my site. This month I have gotten lucky and was sent a variety of back to school books that I did not have and that I have not read. Here is one I recently received and enjoyed!
Ann Stampler, the author of “Go Home, Mrs. Beekman“, recently sent me a copy of this adorable book with a request for me to feature it on Teaching Heart here. The night I got it was the second day of Kindergarten for my son. We sat down and read it together. In the story, Emily Beekman refuses come out of the fort she’s built in her bedroom and go to the first day of school unless her mother promises to stay at school with her forever. Mrs. Beekman promises. Nevertheless, unfortunately, even after Emily forms a bond with her teacher, makes new friends, and is perfectly happy to go to school on her own, Mrs. Beekman just won’t leave.
I immediately made a connection with the mother in the story. Unlike the child in the story my son was soooooo excited about the first day of school. Me on the other hand, I wasn’t quite sure if I wanted to let him go to this unusual place all by himself. I connected with Mrs. Beekman’s need to watch over her child. She became a fly on the wall at her daughter’s school by transforming herself into a coat rack, a hat, a hula hoop, and some other interesting things. As we read, I could relate. Those first few days of school had me wondering how my son was doing, if he was listening to the teacher, if he was having fun, and if he missed me. Much to the dismay of the teacher in the story, Mrs. Beekman saw it all in her daughters class! That lucky Mrs. Beekman!!!!
The book is adorable. The story entertained both me and my son. I think this would be a great gift to give to a parent who has a child going into grade K. Not many (if any) back to school books display how a parent may have a more difficult time letting go of a child; than the child has of letting go of the parent. Ann Stampler does a super job of making this story flow. My son of course thought the story was funny and I thought the story had a hidden truth in it about how parents have anxiety too about the first day of school.
I also think this would make a fun read for the first few days of school. It would be fun to have the class draw a picture of their parents at school with them. You could discuss: How would your mom or dad hide if he or she came to school? Would you like your mom or dad to be at school with you everyday?
