School Readiness

School Readiness
by Ashley Vercammen, Illustrated by P Aplinder Kaur
Published by Home Style Teachers
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$25.00 ISBN 9781778152993

Ashley Vercammen’s illustrated softcover, School Readiness, is—as the title clearly states—a book about prepping children for their first days of school, and sharing the story with new students could well ease the jitters that sometimes accompany this transition. The writer is a Registered Behavioural Technician (RBT) and her book “is based on the proven techniques of the School Readiness program at Saskatchewan Behaviour Consulting,” where specialists work with families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down Syndrome and other developmental disabilities.

Vercammen also holds a BA in International Studies from the University of Saskatchewan, and taught English to students in China. The Redvers, SK-born writer’s education and interests have informed the text in School Readiness, published by Home Style Teachers. The book follows a culturally and ability-diverse group of students as they consider how to conduct themselves at school, ie: how one uses a “quiet, inside voice” in the classroom, and how students should raise a hand “to speak or leave [their] chair”.

There’s information here for students who might be anxious about school structure, as well, ie: scheduling. “I can look at my schedule to know what is happening next” one block of text reads, and on the opposite page, the bordered text reads: “I can ask, “What’s next?” if I don’t understand the schedule.

The book is like a step-by-step guide, providing youngsters with the answers to questions they might have about attending school. It also includes illustrations that demonstrate lessons, ie: how to tie shoelaces, and how to properly wash one’s hands. It follows a “When it is time to do this, then I need to do that” structure, ie: “When it is time to trace, I need a pencil,” and “When it is circle time, I need to go to the carpet”.

The text also goes into some things beginning students might learn about at school, ie: the days of the week, seasons and weather. There are pages that demonstrate how “Everybody likes to play in different ways,” and here we see how different personalities or abilities are represented: “Some friends like to take turns,” “Some friends want to play alone,” “Some friends like to listen to their toys,” and “Some friends want to play pretend”.

Diversity’s common in contemporary Canadian classrooms, and illustrator P Aplinder Kaur’s large-eyed characters reflect cultural diversity and differences in ability: “Some of my friends talk with their mouth,” “Some of my friends talk with their hands,” “Some of my friends talk with a device,” and “Some of my friends don’t talk at all”.

The colourful illustrations will engage young children, and at the end of the book—beneath the affirmation: “Good listening for your name! You will do great in school!—­­there’s a space for a child to include his or her own name in the story.

The prolific Vercammen has published numerous titles since January 2022. See 222.ashley-vercammen.ca to learn more about her books, and to discover how she’s helping others publish with Home Style Teachers.

THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM THE SASKATCHEWAN PUBLISHERS GROUP WWW.SKBOOKS.COM