Now I’m Five

By Joyce Dahlberg

Everyone said, “Five, that’s wonderful! Now you can go to school.”

But I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to school. Mom drove past the school so I could see it. She smiled, but I thought it looked like a scary place. I saw many older boys and girls playing ball. They were all so big!

I was afraid to ride in the school bus too. It groans as it creeps up the hill by our house.

The morning I started school, Mom and Dad seemed happy because I was getting to be such a big girl. When I got dressed, Dad took my picture for our scrapbook.

Mom and I met Kari and her mother at the bus stop on the corner. Kari and I sat together after we got on the bus. We stopped a few times for other children and their mothers.

At school, Mom led me down the hall, past the library and a giant painting, and into my room.

I had already met my teacher, Miss Sorenson. I wondered if she’d remember my name.

“Welcome to kindergarten,” said Miss Sorenson. She smiled and told us about the schoolwork we would do. She even had name tags for us.

Kari and I explored. Records and picture books filled some shelves. There was a piano in the corner near the door.

Miss Sorenson showed us a workbench and a small kitchen. We worked at tables, with a shelf above for our crayons and scissors.

After school I was worried about finding my bus stop. But Miss Sorenson pinned a card on me with my name and bus stop, and a fifth grader helped me. So it was easy.

Now I like school. We listen to stories and learn new songs. Sometimes we cook, and one day we learned about caterpillars. Some days we visit the library or play in the gym. One day we even made gingerbread men.

Now I know my way around. The school is big, but I am too. After all, now I’m five!

Illustrated by Sherry Thompson