Giant-Sized Butterflies On My First Day of School (Hardcover)

⭐ "Will help children conquer their jitters" — Kirkus Reviews
⭐ "A reassuring pep talk" — Publishers Weekly
🎵 Based on one of Justin Roberts' most popular songs

What if the butterflies in your stomach weren't something to get rid of — but something to follow? That's the big idea at the heart of this warm, reassuring picture book from five-time GRAMMY® nominee Justin Roberts, adapted from one of his most beloved songs.

On the morning of her first day of school, a little girl wakes up with butterflies so enormous they feel like they might carry her away. She wants her mom to stay. But as they walk to school together, Mom offers a reframe that changes everything: those butterflies are a good sign. They mean something exciting is happening. Everyone gets them — even grown-ups. And they're not here to stop you; they're here to guide you. Colombian illustrator Paola Escobar — known for her work on the award-winning Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré — fills every page with rich color and warmth, showing each child in the classroom trailing their own flutter of wings. The message lands gently: you are not alone in this.

School Library Journal called it "a sensitive story sure to charm young and grown readers long past the first day of school." An ideal back-to-school gift, and useful any time a child faces something new and a little scary. For ages 3–7. Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2023. 40 pages, hardcover.