Welcome to Third Grade, Gus!

Williams, Jacklyn. Welcome to Third Grade, Gus! Illustrated by Doug Cushman. Picture Window Books, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4048-2714-1$14.95. Ages 5-8.

Welcome to Third Grade, Gus! by Jacklyn Williams and illustrated by Doug Cushman is a very sweet book meant for readers as they conclude the end of the primary grades. Many parents will be able to relate to the book because they have felt the same anxiety that many of their children feel. Additionally as the book is very accurate with the sometimes stressful feelings that many children experience in their young age. The story line of the book is very simple and almost is too simple for third graders and would not qualify as an intermediate book. Gus goes through much anxiety of starting a new year and a new grade, which is very realistic, but the wording of the characters seems very out of place. “Come on Gus everything is going to be okay. You worry too much” (15). The illustrations are very cute and colorful. Cushman uses shape throughout the book with the shadows on the wall and the different animal characters. All in all the content of the book was slightly boring however the illustrations were very stimulating and made the book much more interesting.

Julia Doubrava, BGSU student