On the first day of Kindergarten and Cara wakes up with the sunshine streaming through her pink shade. While she is excited to meet the nice Mrs. Hogan, she can't get herself to eat much of the pancake breakfast mommy makes for her. Her tummy hurts a little bit. But is it her tummy that hurts? No! It is the feeling of anxiety when confronted with change, with a new experience. Is Cara ready for this new step in her educational journey? As she fears about what might happen, her mother brings powerful lessons to assure her that all will be well and one of them is this: 'Be a friend to have a friend.' What stories will she come home with?

Today Cara Goes to Kindergarten by Joan Ruddiman Edd is a book that adults will explore with nostalgic sentiments, remembering the day they faced what is before the young Cara. The author captures a common situation and explores a haunting emotion in Cara: Her anxiety about the new step she is about to make. The role of her parents, especially her mother, in instilling a powerful lesson in her results in the confidence that establishes a new friendship.  The story is colorfully illustrated and it is interesting to notice how beautifully the author captures the events of Cara’s first day in school, allowing a brilliant portrait of her family and expertly exploring signs of anxiety in the child. The role of the parent in instilling trust and confidence is deftly written. Today Cara Goes to Kindergarten is a beautiful adventure, brimming with realism and humanity, a story with a strong lesson about growing for children.