The Day You Begin

This book does something really special. It takes the universal feeling of being the only one who's different in a room — a new school, a new situation — and turns it into something hopeful without glossing over how hard that feeling actually is. My son sat quietly through the whole read and then wanted to talk about it afterward, which is always the sign of a book that landed. Jacqueline Woodson's writing hits a rare balance — honest enough that kids recognize the emotion, gentle enough that it doesn't overwhelm them. The message that sharing what makes you different is where connection actually starts is one that sticks, and it's delivered through story rather than instruction so kids arrive at it themselves. The illustrations by Rafael López are stunning. Rich, warm colors that feel celebratory even in the moments of vulnerability, and diverse characters rendered with real care and individuality. The art alone makes this worth owning. For an 8-year-old navigating school, friendships, and figuring out where they fit, this book speaks directly to that experience in the best possible way. One of those reads that stays with kids long after the last page.

The kind of book that makes you weep the first time you read it and then feel like you HAVE to read this aloud to the kids in your class, family, community. We are all unique or not quite like others--which can make us feel alone in the world UNTIL we start to share our stories, our lives with others. Then we find that we are similar in some ways to those around us or that others are open to the new world we might introduce to them. Woodson's language is beautiful (of course) - "There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you." "There will be times when..." "There will be times when the world feels like a place that you're standing all the way outside of..." "There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you until the day you begin to share your stories." YES! Read this aloud for pure enjoyment. And then read it aloud again and pose questions for student-led conversations--questions that could also lead to writing. ***Have you ever experienced a "There will be times when..."? ***What does the author mean when she writes "There will be times when the world feels like a place that you're standing all the way outside of"? ***Or a time when you only had your "brave self--steady as steel and ready" even though you didn't "know what you were ready for:? Rafael's illustrations are stunning. With illustrations of each child in that place at that moment (e.g., the classroom, the playground), but then also illustrations of the richness of that child's life (e.g., Rigoberto in a beautiful Venezuela, a girl seeing the world through books, etc.). You could project a two-page layout and pose questions like, ***"What do you notice?" ***"What do you notice as similar and different between the illustrations with Rigoberto on this page and this page?" ***"Why do you think the illustrator chose to include that?" Several pages include an image of a ruler--maybe to signify that a particular scene is in the school but it also made me think about the pressure on kids to "measure up" in many ways when they are at school. Might be worth conversation with students. One more thought. Before reading aloud, ask students to make predictions based on the title. After reading this aloud, go back to the title and ask, ***"What does the author mean by 'the day you begin'?" and maybe even "How can we do that right now?"

I read this book to a class of high diversity students. I feel as if it was able to speak to a lot more students. They like the story and they were able to pick up on the theme pretty fast. The book felt like good quality.

The Day You Begin spoke right to my heart! In my 40 years, I finally found a picture book that made me feel truly seen. Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael López beautifully capture the experience of standing out and the courage it takes to share your story. Readers follow Angelina’s journey, feeling different because of her food, background, and memories. This book shows that our unique stories matter while also revealing the shared experiences that connect us all. I highly recommend it to every child and adult who’s ever felt out of place!

I enjoyed this book, and reading it was healing. Many children will connect to the nervousness of the characters who feel like outsiders in different ways. The young girl feels like an outsider because of her hair and appearance. Throughout the story, the girl realizes that everyone experiences the feeling of being an outsider, but what binds us all together and connects us is shared stories. The book opens a dialogue about inclusivity, bravery, diversity, and perspective. Children can reflect on how they might treat others and react to new spaces.

On the first day of school it is difficult to take the first step into a new classroom. Jacqueline Woodson sympathizes with students in her new picture book The Day You Begin. Inspired by a section in her book, Brown Girl Dreaming this poetic writing will inspire those of all ages to begin sharing their story. I absolutely love the illustrations, that helps us visualize that EVERYONE can have a feeling of being different among others in a room. Diversity comes in all shapes, colors, and sizes; our skin, our hair, our experiences, our families, our clothes all make us different. What an incredible opportunity we have within the first days of school to share this message to our students to help them share their differences with their classmates. When we have courage to introduce who we really are and are kind in accepting those who are different from us; we may find commonalities to make our classrooms a safe place that we look forward to returning to everyday.

I like Jacqueline Woodson's theme for the book. I like that the story has a twist to it. I read the title and thought I knew what the book would be about. Not! It is a good read for someone who needs inspiration for a new situation.

This is such a beautiful, captivating story that is wonderfully illustrated. The words & pictures will truly captivate children from ages 2 to 10. There is an aspect of every bit of the story that every child can relate to, whether on a personal basis or in relation to someone they may know. In one section, a child says his name is like a musical song once again when spoken by his teacher - tears spring to my eyes each time I read these words. Every page presents a different perspective of how a child may feel while at school for the 1st time or 5th or 100th. And in the end the children realize as different as we each may be, we are all similar, too.

Beautifully made and written!

The first day of school usually starts with the ubiquitous ice breaker question- what did you do over the summer break?! A potentially harmless question, but for children who have nowhere to go or stuck at home due to other circumstances, this can be very alienating. Angelina has spent her summer taking care of her sister. Though she has travelled far off via books, there is no real experiences to share. Similarly, Rigberto feels alienated owing to his roots and a Korean girl feels alienated owing to her non traditional food choices. This is a book of children in normal circumstances feeling alienated due to reasons not in their control. The metaphor of constantly trying to measure up to their peers is something we all grapple with. A lovely message of finding it within yourself to not let self doubt hold you down. There will be times when you feel like you are very different from the rest, but that is a good opportunity to try to share your story and find the power of your own voice and the power of your unique self. Ideal for kids aged 5+ yrs

Amazing book with an excellent message. We love it

A wonderful book for kids to learn about the similarities in our differences.

I have bought this book thrice, once for my son and as a gift twice. It is enjoyable to read and has very many lessons. We live in the UAE among expats from many countries. This book is a great way to have conversations on diversity and different cultures.