Pa Lia's First Day: A Jackson Friends Book

By Michelle Edwards

Pa Lia Vang's first day at Jackson Magnet, her new school, isn't going so well. She doesn't know anyone. She can't find her second-grade classroom. And then she gets the only person who's been nice to her into trouble. Will Pa Lia ever fit in? In this first chapter book of the Jackson Friends series, Michelle Edwards explores with humor and sensitivity the anxieties children often face in a new situation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 22, 2013
• ISBN: 9780544309319

Michelle Edwards

MICHELLE EDWARDS is the author-illustrator of Chicken Man, winner of the National Jewish Book Award, several other acclaimed picture books, and the Jackson Friends series, which includes Pa Lia's First Day, a Parent's Guide to Children's Media Award winner, Zero Grandparents, and The Talent Show. She lives with her family in Iowa City.

Book preview

Copyright © 1999 by Michelle Edwards

Author’s note copyright © 2005 by Michelle Edwards

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10003.

www.hmhco.com

First Harcourt paperback edition 2001

The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

Edwards, Michelle.

Pa Lia’s first day/Michelle Edwards,

p. cm.—(A Jackson friends book.)

Summary: On the first day of second grade at her new school, Pa Lia Vang discovers that things are not as bad as she had feared.

[1. Schools—Fiction. 2. Friendship—Fiction.]

I. Title. II. Series.

PZ7.E262Pal 1999

[Fic]—dc21 98-28567

ISBN 978-0-15-201974-7 hardcover

ISBN 978-0-15-205748-0 paperback

eISBN 978-0-544-30931-9

v1.1013

In appreciation and admiration,

to Mrs. Dykstra, Mrs. Foster,

Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Keyes,

and Mrs. Sanford . . .

best in Frogtown and in my heart

And to Carol Dye, a dream librarian

[Image][Image]

Reviews for Pa Lia's First Day

[queenoftheshelf · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pa Lia is flustered as she begins second grade at Jackson Magnate, the new school year is overwhelming and she gets lost in the new building. Along comes Calliope, a friendly girl who helps Pa Lia find her classroom and introduces her to a possible new friend. Pa Lia finds that she can handle and enjoy the situation, even if she was overwhelmed to begin with. Anyone can identify with this situation, which makes it a very relatable story, even if the execution is a bit stilted. The illustrations with their thick, black, cartoon-like lines help add depth to the story (which has a subplot about Pa Lia illustrating cartoons). Any child, between grades 1-2, will enjoy the story, especially around the first of the year when they can relate to Pa Lia's emotions.