AGE: 3-6
Emilia isn’t a tiny tot anymore, and today is her first day at preschool. She wants to go in by herself. She says ’bye to Mom, takes her Bunny and climbs up the three steps to the door. But there’s a scary broomstick standing there, and it looks like a lion. Emilia faces it bravely, declares that she’s not frightened—and hop! she jumps onto its back. Emilia, Bunny and the lion gallop off to a multicolored, magic land under the ground where they meet wondrous creatures. “Here we are,” Emilia announces. “It’s time to eat.” After they finish the tasty dishes that she serves up, Emilia puts Bunny and the lion to sleep. She stays awake, but there’s no one for her to play with. So it’s time to end the adventure and enter the preschool. Emilia opens the door and goes inside, alone. Her friend Dana runs up to her, hugs her and invites her to play families. “You can be Mommy and I’ll be the tiny tot,” Emilia says to her. But tomorrow she’ll go back to being the big girl, who’s not afraid to go into preschool by herself. A magical book, full of imagination and psychological depth, that deals with overcoming fears.
Illustrations: Naama Benziman