Kathleen's First Day of School

About the Book

“It was a crisp autumn morning in Somerville. In one house, however, someone was very unhappy... Today, was Kathleen’s first day of school, and she was very afraid.” Thus begins the story of one little girl’s journey and how she overcame a fear common to manychildren, the first day of school. As she navigates her way through the day, from hiding under her covers, to making a new friend, her confidence grows and she finds that she just may learn to like school after all. This book, illustrated by the author, is a fond recollection of her own daughter’s first day of school many years ago. Her daughter is now a teacher herself, welcoming many a timid child into her classroom each year.

About the Author

Mary Sue Kowalski is a wife, mother of six, grandmother of seven and a retired high school art teacher. When her children were young, she spent many years taking care of other people's children so that she could stay home with her own. Even as a teenager, she loved small children and ran a summer camp from her home for the children in her neighborhood. She definitely holds a special place in her heart for the very young and tries to see the world through their eyes. She is never patronizing and always respectful of their young point of view. In this book, she fondly remembers the struggles her youngest daughter went through as she began going to school. She herself remembers her own fear about venturing forth from the security of home into the often overwhelming world of school. Mrs. Kowalski currently lives in New Jersey and also spends time in a home in Florida. She is an avid traveler, painter and photographer. She loves combining her passion for visiting foreign locals with capturing the sights, people and atmosphere of a given place. In addition to her art and writing, she also loves gardening and walking for exercise. She plans to walk in the New York Marathon this year with her husband and several of her children. This book is a tribute to not only her daughter but to all who face the fear of a new situation and who overcome that fear, becoming stronger by doing so.