The King of Kindergarten

A New York Times bestseller!

A confident little boy takes pride in his first day of kindergarten, by the Newbery Honor-winning author of Crown.

The morning sun blares through your window like a million brass trumpets.It sits and shines behind your head--like a crown. Mommy says that today, you are going to be the King of Kindergarten!

Starting kindergarten is a big milestone--and the hero of this story is ready to make his mark! He's dressed himself, eaten a pile of pancakes, and can't wait to be part of a whole new kingdom of kids. The day will be jam-packed, but he's up to the challenge, taking new experiences in stride with his infectious enthusiasm! And afterward, he can't wait to tell his proud parents all about his achievements--and then wake up to start another day.
Newbery Honor-winning author Derrick Barnes's empowering story will give new kindergarteners a reassuring confidence boost, and Vanessa Brantley-Newton's illustrations exude joy.

Author: Derrick Barnes
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Published: 04/22/2025
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.35lbs
Size: 9.80h x 8.80w x 0.20d
ISBN13: 9780593856970
ISBN10: 059385697X
BISAC Categories:
- Juvenile Fiction | African American & Black
- Juvenile Fiction | School & Education
- Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance

About the Author
Derrick Barnes (DerrickDBarnes.com) is also the author of Like Lava in My Veins, Santa's Gotta Go!, New York Times bestsellers The Queen of Kindergarten and I Am Every Good Thing, which won the NCTE Charlotte Huck Award and the Kirkus Prize, and Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, which received a Newbery Honor, a Coretta Scott King Honor, the Kirkus Prize, and the Ezra Jack Keats Award. He also wrote the bestselling chapter book series Ruby and the Booker Boys. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and their four sons.

Vanessa Brantley-Newton (VanessaBrantleyNewton.com) is a beloved storyteller and has illustrated numerous picture books, including New York Times bestseller The Queen of Kindergarten (by Derrick Barnes), Mary Had a Little Glam (by Tammi Sauer), One Love (by Cedella Marley), and The Youngest Marcher (by Cynthia Levinson), as well as the chapter book series Ruby and the Booker Boys (by Derrick Barnes) and Jada Jones (by Kelly Starling Lyons). Some of the picture books she's written and illustrated include Shake It Off!, Just Like Me, Becoming Vanessa and Grandma's Purse. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.