Sarah Jane Hartwell is so nervous about her first day of school that she doesn't want to get out of bed or eat breakfast. She is so worried that she tries to hide in the car until the principal sees her and takes her inside to meet her class. Students will be delighted with the surprise ending when Sarah's true identity is revealed, proving that just about everyone has first-day jitters when it comes to starting school. Ink-and-watercolor drawings effectively portray Sarah's nervous energy.

--School Library Journal

Every child who has moved to a new school or is simply reluctant to start a school year can identify with this wittily drawn and suspensefully told story. From the moment she awakens on the fateful day to the moment she steps into the classroom, Sarah Hartwell imagines the worst. Love's ink-and-watercolor illustrations add humor to Sarah's fears, which range from bratty kids to a police search when she doesn't show up. Mr. Hartwell's reassurances don't seem to be much help. The pictures mirror the jangled nerves and outsize expectations (the double-page spread of a looming, prisonlike school is priceless) everyone faces when they are new, all of which leads to a nifty surprise ending that is a delight. Funny and insightful.

--Booklist