Spring into Action by Pat Brigandi

Score: 5/5

First sentence: Friday is Clean Up Day in town.

Summary: They're going to clean a part of a street to grow a garden. Max isn't happy because he doesn't like bugs.

Will be available for purchase on April 3, 2018!

Accessed through Netgalley for an honest review. 

Good:

Things that I enjoyed about this book:

• Dinosaurs 
• Vibrant artwork
• Easy to follow text
• Repetition with text
• Cleaning up litter
• Creating a classroom garden

One student named Max is not happy about his teachers plans about the garden. He is afraid of bugs so he arrives in a bug suit. One student giggles at seeing him in this bug suit. He explains that he's afraid of bugs so he's wearing it to protect himself.

What I love is that they reply with, "Don't worry, Max. We'll take care of you."

They do their best to protect him from the bugs. He struggles with working on cleaning up the yard because of the bugs. The other students remind him that the bugs won't hurt him and shoo away the bugs for him.

He does end up contributing in his own way with creating a home for a rabbit. He becomes the rabbits protector and creates a space for him in the garden. Max wears his bug suit throughout the story even at the end.

Max wasn't instantly cured from his fear of bugs. His classmates accepted him for who he was. They all participated in the garden in their own way. Loved it.  

Bad: 

The only thing I can thing of as a negative is the brightness of the artwork. It could possibly be an issue with over-stimulation and too bright for a student to focus on. But I doubt that will be a big enough issue or an issue in this age group as most stories are read as a whole group.

Recommend?

Yes. It's educational in regard to littering, class gardens and fears. It can be used in a science lesson or as emotional lesson -- fears and how to treat others who are afraid of things.

This author has another one of these out as well: