Mila, a young Black girl, narrates her eagerness to get to her first day of school, contrasted with her father being a “real dilly-dally” as he points out potential distractions. His posture, his ideas on the way to school, all of it speaks to his worry over the upcoming separation, and he’s not worried about her, but how much he’s going to miss her. This fresh take on expectations, where the child is the one who is anxious to be on time while the parent lingers, will reward the precocious. It’s a lovely touch that Mila reassures her father that although she will have fun with new friends at school she will see him again at pickup. Her dog, Pepper, adds antics to the pencil and paint illustrations as Mila takes charge. A straightforward addition to back-to-school books.

– School Library Journal