This is the Way We Go to School

by Edith Baer, Steve Bjorkman (Illustrator)

Some children walk to school; others ride a bus. Children go by ferry in New York, vaporetto in Italy, trolley car in San Francisco, and helicopter in the Alaskan Tundra. With fun-filled rhymes and colorful illustrations, children will discover just how much fun getting to school can be.

Genres: Picture Books, School, Cultural, Childrens, Transport, Fiction, Poetry

Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I was intrigued with the idea and the chance to learn about some other ways of getting to school I am not sure if this book hit the mark for me. There were some pages that mentioned the cities or places where the children were while others just mentioned how they got to school while the educated reader may be able to guess on some of the locations until you get to the back of the book where there is a listing of locations for each mentioned child.

For younger readers although the book can be a fun way to learn about others their age or somewhere close they still may have problems with pronouncing the names of the children or even some of the means of getting to school such as a vaporette or a skidoo. So definitely keep an eye out on your child if they are reading and/or struggling with this book.

I wasn't much of a fan of the illustrations either. Although they caught the majority of the locations or transportations just perfectly there wasn't much of a difference. They were all the still of simple almost-cartoonish human characters and a blander palette even for the beauty of Hawaii's location matched the blandness of the desert scenes.

All in all a great way to introduce children to how others may have to travel to school and a good starting stone for those who may want to explore more of the various cultures that surround us, even when it may be in our own backyard.

[Shelby Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Is the Way We Go to School is a fun, rhyming informational book that shares the experiences of different students going to school. The book discusses what the students are wearing, how they get to school, and what the scenery is like. The illustrations provide a glimpse into different parts of the world such as San Francisco, Chicago, Venice, Egypt, and Norway. The book provided the opportunity for rich discussion of travel experiences and questions about foreign places. My students took the time to consider how their lives would be different if they took a ferry to school, for example. The book encouraged us to think outside of our normal lives and consider the experiences of others.

When reading this book I noticed similarities to Same, Same But Different, written by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw, which my kindergarten students love as well.

[Jessica Calaway · Rating 3 out of 5]

ages 6-8

[Eden]

I'll have to revisit this

[Lillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about the way in which different children around the world travel to school. Various cultures are represented along with different languages. This book won “A Blue Ribbon Book” award.

I would recommend this Big Book to be used in first grade because the illustrations on each page are so detailed and therefore the class could discuss the many different aspects to them. Students may be interested in this book because they should each be able to identity with how at least one of the students in the story arrive to school and it is useful for early readers because the illustrations are large and there isn’t a large amount of text. A teacher may use this book for instruction because images from many different locations are included, so the class could discuss one location at a time as an extension activity (like creating a whole lesson plan about Italy and what some buildings look like there, etcetera) and they can compare cultural differences. Cultures from Italy, Egypt, India, China, and more are represented along with words like “vaporetto” which means “waterbus” in Italian. There is a description of where all of the students live at the end of the book along with a map which shows exactly where each of those locations are (which is invaluable material for a teacher)!

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

An exploration of different transportation methods that children around the world utilize to get to school. The story follows a simple rhyme scheme throughout, which in my opinion neither adds to or detracts from the overall story. The illustrations are just ok, with a very washed out color palette and simplistic, cartoony representations of the subjects. I would’ve liked a bit more detail and stronger colors to make the illustrations really pop and give the reader a better clue as to where the page takes place. The locations are not revealed until the end of the story, which could be fun if you wanted to try and guess-but most of the pages don’t really include enough context to make a really good guess. Many of the locations could be lots of places, they aren’t overly specific. Maybe that was the authors intent, of course kids walk to take the bus to school in many places, but it felt like that could’ve been included more explicitly. I think including the location on each page could’ve led to more meaningful conversations, saving it for the last page kind of loses the spark of interest that a child might’ve had for a specific location. Overall, I’ll give three stars because I think the content is interesting and could lead to good conversations, but overall there’s not much wow factor to this one.

[Vanessa Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was about all of the different ways kids from around the world get to school. At the end of the book, it tells you where every child is from and it also has a map that shows which child is from what area. I thought that this was an awesome touch for the book and made it so kids can see where kids are from and how they got to school. This would make a great read aloud and I think kids would enjoy it.
Author: Edith Baer
Illustrator: Steve Björkman
Publisher: Scholastic August 1, 1992

[Jessika جيسيكا Valentine ملو فالنتاين · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because I want my kids one day to have an international scope of the world. This book does that beautifully and I like that it has the list at the end of the book and the map. It is a great illustrations for kids, to know where they stand in this world and how fortunate and unique they are, wherever they come from and whichever way they go to school

[Mykenna Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would be great to read to a class of students. It tells the different ways students come to school and it would be a great learning experience in class to give everyone the knowledge of how many different ways of transportation there are. I think the kids would be interested to learn how their classmates come to school everyday.

[Elizabeth Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so cute! I love that the kids get to compare and contrast how kids get to school around the world. It is very good to inform your students how different the world is and not every school child is the same as you.

[Elle Wise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cool book that informs children about how children around the world can possibly travel to school. It touches on how creative school can be and cool ways to get there. My toddler enjoyed it!

[Hailey Licata · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives a brief look around the globe about transportation, names, and some quick little location glimpses. I think it could be a fun discussion starter when learning about transporttion, or some other topics similar. I really like the places they lived and the globe at the end!

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book shows different ways children go to school in different areas.

[Kristen Thorp · Rating 5 out of 5]

106/365

Diverse characters! Quentin Blake looking art! Very cute.

[Luis Fe Domínguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ligeramente emotivo. Las ilustraciones son más rescatable. El trabajo está en la ilustración. Tiene todo el mérito.

[Nahuatl P Vargas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy lindo libro sobre las diversas maneras de ir a la escuela.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s about half US, and the one Canadian entry is a kid going to school on a snowmobile, natch.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet look at all the ways that children go to school. I think most Amish children walk, though, rather than riding the buggy.

[Blue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book depicting the way children around the world travel to school. I wish there was a little more information about what school was like in each place, but I realize that wasn't he purpose of the book. My three year old enjoyed it, and I liked that it let you know where each of the children were from at the end of the story so you could guess as you read along. I'd recommend this book for children around 3.

If you want a book with more in depth information about the school day for children around the world try It's Back to School We Go!: First Day Stories from Around the World, which provided a ton of information (albeit too much for my 3 year old, as she just got bored halfway through, although I read the whole thing). I'd recommend that book for children at least 5-6 years old.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

My personal reaction of this book was i loved the theme of the book and how it shows the different perspectives of children. The colorful illustrations and rhyme add to meaning of how to get to school. For example," And the fastest way by far is the school bus or by car. With illustrations of diagonal leaves indicating the fast movement.

The purpose of this book would be to read aloud for a curriculum related purpose. This book would be acceptable for first grade. This book helps demonstrates not only that there are students all around the world, but also that there are many ways each student can get to school. I would use this to teach my student the many differences in the world. There is also has great geography lessons. For example the students learn that in New York they use a ferry to get to school, what can you infer from that? This book demonstrates the diverse perspectives and can expand the child's knowledge on transportation as well.

[Libby]

Preparing a child to be ready to read and write is an endeavor that can be put in practical daily use with the implementation of shared reading as one of the child’s daily social routines. To support the child’s print motivation, letter knowledge, vocabulary, phonological awareness and narrative skills, reading a book such as This Is The Way We Go to School: A Book About Children Around The World can be used as a tool to help prepare a preschooler for school. By establishing a connection to self and other children, the 4-5 year old child will understand that school, and reading and writing is an important milestone in their lives. Through the practices of reading and talking, a shared story such as this can create excitement for reading and support instances where the child reflects and seeks on pleasurable reading experiences.

[Jennifer Lanman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fun to read because it showed all the different ways children from around the world go to school. It surprised me some of the ways that kids go to school. The pictures were very detailed and used watercolor paint. They were nice pastel colors and very pretty to look at. This book could be used for a read aloud and an activity to follow. After the teacher reads the book, the teacher asks students how they get to school. The students can after, on paper with art supplies, show how they get ready and go to school. Then you can do some sharing around the room to show the similar and different ways the students get ready and go to school just in the classroom. This is for ages 5-7.

[Mrswash]

This is the Way We Go to School is an international book. It is telling about children from around the world. It teaches us that we are different, but those differences don’t change how we do thins. Each child had a different type of transportation, but that didn’t prevent any of them for making it home. I really loved learning about how children to and from school in different parts of the world. We see children taking the ferry, riding the trolley car, flying in a helicopter, and the el. The illustrations were good at capturing the look of their individual home.

[Mommywest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun poetry and illustrations tell the story of how children all over the world, including the United States, get to school! You can either read or sing this little tale about children going to school on skis, bikes, boats, elevated trains and more--it's fun no matter what you do. (The tune is "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush"--or "This Is The Way We Wash the Clothes"). At the end of the book, there is a list of the places the children live and also a separate map that shows each location. Great book! Preschool Unit: Friends in Many Lands

[Ngenama1]

This is a book that briefly explains how from all around the world get to and from school. The pictures are as important as the words in this book. They illustrate landscapes and modes of transportation that most would not be familiar with. Another good feature is in the back of the book it lists where each child is from and gives a map on the following page. This book is also useful for identifying rhyming words.

[Ashley Correll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about children around the world and how they get to school. This book is not only a fiction book, but a rhyming book as well. It has children from the U.S.A., Egypt, Norway, Italy, Isreal, Switzerland, Kenya, Australia, China, India, Mexico, U.S.S.R., and Canada. This is a great book for diversity and has very nice pictures in it as well.

[Ramanda Flannery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about how kids around the world go to school. Some ride bikes, busses, or in cars. Some walk or ride in a buggy pulled by a horse. It is a very great book.
I would use this book in a social studies book. It has a map in the back of the book so the kids can actually see where the kids in the book live which I think is a great teaching tool.

[Kathryn Brewer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a short story with illustrations. I think it could have a little more detail about the places, but it gets the point of the story across that all kids across the world go to school by different ways of transportation. I think this book would be a book I might use to start conversation about the world and the different lifestyles.

[Marga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has wonderful and absolutely stunning illustrations. Steve Björkman is AMAZEBALLS. The story is simple but oh so beautiful. My students had a lot of questions which I enjoyed and encouraged. I, myself, found it at times just looking back at it and reading it over and over. Really enjoyed this one! :)

[Olivia Berger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great depiction of how different students around the world get to and from school and what form of transportation they need to take due to their life situations or surrounding environment. Then after telling how each student gets to school, the book informs the reader where these students are located and live.