Ming Goes to School

“This beautiful tale with gentle illustrations is an ode to the milestone of attending school for the first time and all it entails.”—School Library Journal. “A cozy portrait of the everyday discoveries and accomplishments that school can bring.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred ReviewMing goes to school, where she learns to say hello and good-bye. She meets new friends and introduces them to old friends (including her favorite teddy). She builds sandcastles and makes snow angels; she traces, glitters, and glues. She is so fearless that when held at sword point, she even walks the plank! And when she’s playing in the mud, she reaches out and touches the worms with her bare hands. But despite those brave deeds, she isn’t quite ready for the big red slide—not yet.This is a very sweet story with soft, evocative watercolor illustrations that will help kids to grow comfortable with the idea of starting preschool. Ming is curious and playful and ready for adventure, but even she gets scared of new things sometimes. Kids will relate to her desires and fears and will be excited to see Ming at the top of the slide by the story’s end.A quiet and reassuring picture book for preschoolers (3-5), this is a wonderful going-to-school story that can be read both at home and in the classroom or childcare center. The illustrations provide a lot of diversity of characters, making this feel like any classroom in any school in the country.

“Sullivan and Löfdahl debut with a cozy portrait of the everyday discoveries and accomplishments that school can bring. Their heroine, with a red jumper and pigtails that stick straight out, dives right in to preschool activities like show-and-tell and, later in the year, making snow angels outside; other things take time (the playground slide is daunting at first). Ming appears to be of Asian descent, and her classmates are from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Sullivan’s text offers poetic reflections on school (“It’s where magic fairy castles are built from sticks . . . and growing up takes time”), which Löfdahl captures in graceful and subdued watercolor scenes of dress-up tea parties, muddy spring explorations, and more. Best of all, Ming exhibits a quiet confidence and independence from start to finish, which ought to prove inspiring to children who are about to trade days spent at home for ones in new territory.” –Publishers Weekly,starred review“Featuring peeks at common classroom sights and activities, this empathetic tale could also be a discussion starter about growth and readiness.” –Kirkus Reviews, “Sullivan and Löfdahl debut with a cozy portrait of the everyday discoveries and accomplishments that school can bring. Their heroine, with a red jumper and pigtails that stick straight out, dives right in to preschool activities like show-and-tell and, later in the year, making snow angels outside; other things take time (the playground slide is daunting at first). Ming appears to be of Asian descent, and her classmates are from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Sullivan’s text offers poetic reflections on school (“It’s where magic fairy castles are built from sticks . . . and growing up takes time”), which Löfdahl captures in graceful and subdued watercolor scenes of dress-up tea parties, muddy spring explorations, and more. Best of all, Ming exhibits a quiet confidence and independence from start to finish, which ought to prove inspiring to children who are about to trade days spent at home for ones in new territory.” –Publishers Weekly,starred review“Featuring peeks at common classroom sights and activities, this empathetic tale could also be a discussion starter about growth and readiness.” –Kirkus Reviews

Deirdre Sullivan grew up in Buffalo, New York, and graduated from Le Moyne College with a degree in psychology. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with her husband, four daughters, and black lab.Maja Löfdahl grew up in Sweden, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom. She studied painting at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with her husband and three daughters.Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.