Mr. S by Monica Arnaldo (review)

On the first day of school, the kindergarteners in room 2B know that something is amiss when they see only a stack of papers, a steaming cup of coffee, and an “impressive looking” sandwich at the desk where a teacher would normally be. As the kids collectively realize they are unattended, half proclaim the lack of teacher means no rules, and the other half vehemently disagrees. A sudden sound of a ruler falling to the floor (for no apparent reason) alerts them to the large “Mr. S” written on the board, indicating that the sandwich—Mr. S—will be their instructor. Reassured about the presence of presumed teacher Mr. Sandwich, the kids confidently proceed through the day’s lessons (with a few quirky variations—cue “Mary Had a Little Ham” for the musical activity), but doubts about the viability of a sandwich teacher creep into class conversations until finally a grown-up bursts through the door. Dramatic tension builds as two concurrent storylines unfold in the illustrations: a parking lot scene is visible through the classroom windows, and an unidentified adult endures the comically tragic destruction of their car in a storm. A saturated, warm color palette, dynamic shifts in perspective, and highly exaggerated facial expressions combine to make Arnaldo’s art central to this story’s appeal. Faithful to the cheeky narrative tone of Are You a Cheeseburger? (BCCB 05/21), this story gleefully leans into absurdity, with a dash of epistemological musings. Young skeptics will be surprised by the true identity of the teacher of room 2B in a twist that makes this a standout among first day of school titles.