Book Review of Teaching Mrs. Muddle
The Children’s Book Review

Written by Colleen Nelson

Illustrated by Alice Carter

Ages 3-6 | 32 Pages

Publisher: Pajama Press | ISBN: 9781772781311

What to expect: Kindergarten, the first day of school

Kayla is starting Kindergarten for the first time; hooray! Only, Kayla is starting to worry that she might get lost. Or scared. Or cry for her mommy! What would she do?

As they stroll up to her new classroom, Kayla meets her new teacher: Mrs. Muddle. She’s a little zany, with a piglet puppet and a sign with her own name on it. Kayla’s unsure, and when she gets the wrong nametag, she starts to question if Mrs. Muddle is really ready to teach Kindergarten!  And when class starts and poor Mrs. Muddle begins to read Kayla’s favorite story upside down, Kayla bids goodbye to her mom and helps poor Mrs. Muddle read the story correctly.

It’s a lot of work for a Kindergartener’s first day! Mrs. Muddle has great intentions to give them a school tour, but she keeps getting lost. Thank goodness Kayla is there to help lead Mrs. Muddle away from the fifth-grade classroom (definitely not the music classroom!) and help her find the real gym (not the library!).

At recess time, Kayla and Mrs. Muddle are a great team. Kayla even shows her how to use a swing and slide the right way! By the end of the day, Kayla has taught Mrs. Muddle all she needs to know for Kindergarten, and she didn’t miss her mommy at all! Perhaps Mrs. Muddle did have a knack for helping Kayla feel comfortable, after all.

Adorable illustrations with colorful elementary school classrooms and a wonderfully diverse cast, TEACHING MRS. MUDDLE strikes the perfect balance between humor and comfort. Author Colleen Nelson’s clever story helps young readers see that they will be perfectly fine when it’s their turn to start school (or re-start school after Covid!). Children will laugh and love pointing out the silly mistakes Mrs. Muddle is making, and Kayla’s own fears will give space for kids to talk about their own fears about going to school. Even parents will chuckle as kids giggle with poor Mrs. Muddle’s muddled day.

You’ll be reading it again and again! Highly recommended.

Buy the Book

About the Author

Colleen Nelson is a teacher and writer in Winnipeg, Canada. She has two sons, both teenagers, who are her toughest critics and biggest fans. Colleen loves her family, chocolate, strong coffee, runs in the park, and her puppy, Rosie.

About the Illustrator

Alice Carter is an artist, illustrator, and storyteller with a passion for sharing her whimsical imagination. A graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design who now works with clients from all over the world, Alice is inspired by people-watching, music, and every animal she comes across. Her first two picture books are Angus All Aglow and Our New Kittens. Alice lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

Teaching Mrs. Muddle, written by Colleen Nelson, was reviewed by Dr. Jen Harrison. Discover more books like Teaching Mrs. Muddle by following our reviews and articles tagged with Kindergarten and First Day of School Books.