Puppy Bus, a wonderfully goofy book about going to school amidst change

It starts in late June for us. The department stores start to display their back-to-school supplies, I’ll jokingly call it my favorite time of year, and my kids will roll their eyes in dad joke disdain. There’s also a wave of books that come out to comfort kids as to the new schedules, expectations and routines that many of them will experience for the first time. Puppy Bus is a silly picture book that pokes fun at the changes or new routines that those younger ages will go through by imagining that the human student gets on the dog school bus.  

It’s not a totally illogical thought and surely somewhere, some kid has seen a vehicle that transports animals and asked their parents what if they boarded that, instead of their school bus. Granted, it is a leap, but that’s the fun behind Puppy Bus, it’s a bus, full of puppies going to obedience school. The student, in this case, is an early elementary school kid and is so nervous and eager to get to school that he doesn’t pay any attention to the four-legged students until the bus is thoroughly on the way there.

The boy is going to a new school. It could be a different school, or perhaps their first day of going to school via the bus. That isn’t fully explained, but it’s the fact that his reason for being nervous isn’t covered that gives the book more appeal. Those rising kindergarten who have never taken the bus or those early elementary school students who are changing schools will identify with his journey. Both categories are having their worlds turned askew and going to a school where everyone speaks dog is as good a metaphor as any.

He looks for an adult at the school to explain to them that he got on the wrong bus, and of course the wrong school, but the principal only speaks dog. His classes are weird, the subjects don’t make any sense, the teachers are very odd, the bathroom is confusing and lunch is disgusting. These are things any young elementary student could realistically say about school.

During lunch, just like in real elementary school, he bottoms out and thinks that this place is the absolute worst. However, another constant at school is recess, and it’s here when our young student finds his groove. Initially, he’s amazed that this school has recess too, then he sees some students who are in his class and then one who was on the bus.

You older readers can predict how the rest of his day goes. Puppy Bus is a super cute picture book that those young students, aged four through eight will enjoy, and laugh out loud, as well as grin when they re-read the book on their own time. Those younger readers will follow along to the simple sentences and the full-color pages that show the diametric relationship between what’s expected and the school. The older readers know that life is full of changes and challenges but will realize that everything will be OK, just like the kid who accidentally took the Puppy Bus.

Those astute older readers will recognize the art style’s similarity to CatStronauts. That’s the graphic novel series that their middle to upper elementary school sibling really enjoys. They’ll then realize that Puppy Bus is also from Drew Brockington, and that going to a new school can be scary, but is also a lot of fun.

Puppy Bus is by Drew Brockington and is available on Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Abrams Books. It’s a picture book that’s aimed at ages four through eight.

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