A First Time for Everything

I love this book!

Who knew that the wonderful Dan Santat who writes and illustrates such fantastic picture books had a rough time in middle school? But, then again, doesn't everyone have a rough time in middle school? And isn't that rough time in middle school a time that is made up of some of the worst days of a person's life? And isn't it (whew! thank goodness!) true that things will gradually start getting better once you learn a few tricks for dealing with mean people and awkward situations? But isn't it sad that no one knows any of this until we have suffered through agonizing days of cruelty and humiliation?

But isn't it great that Dan Santat can share the most shudder-worthy of those experiences with kids right now, right when kids need to hear it, that this-too-will-pass and truly-things-will-be-better-tomorrow, not by patting kids on the shoulder and saying some meaningless words, but by writing about one's own despicably awful times as well as the wonderful surprises of unexpected friendship and first love and a wise teacher that help us get through all that miserable stuff?