A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat. 320 p. First Second/ Macmillan, February, 2023. 9781626724150. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)
Fact Friday features A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat. Years before becoming a Caldecott Medal-winning author/ illustrator, Dan Santat was an introverted middle school student doing his best to fly under the radar of teachers as well as classmates. He is the only child in his family and his parents want him to spread his wings a bit. Their answer is to send him to Europe on a class trip the summer after his eighth grade year.
He really doesn't want to go and is dismayed to learn that some of his female tormenters are in the group. He learns some lessons the hard way, such as unwittingly eating an entire basket of delicious French bread only to find that he was getting charged for each! He discovers Fanta and revels in the art at the Louvre.
The art is just gorgeous. Landmarks and cityscapes are brought to glorious life and flashbacks are done in muted blues and add context. At turns hilarious and poignant, readers will relate to the angst and ache while also marveling over life before smart phones and social media.
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