When the color art arrived from Amy Wummer for Adventure Annie Goes to Work, I fell even more in love with my rambunctious little character and knew she was going to light up her school when Kindergarten rolled around.  I wrote to my editor, Lauri Hornik, and said, "I think Annie ought to go to Kindergarten."

She responded, "Write it!" and so I did. 

Now, I was not at all like Annie in Miss Smiley's Kindergarten.  I was shy and quiet and afraid of my rather cranky teacher. But as with so many of my characters, I think a high-spirited child lived inside me, the Annie I am able to channel as I write the Adventure Annie stories.

I knew I wanted to use the Pattern ofThree story structure again, as I had in Adventure Annie Goes to Work., and so I began by imagining what three adventures Annie might most like to have.  Then I gave her a prop for each one (a zookeeper's hat for her wild animal adventure, high-wire slippers for her high-flying circus adventure, and walkie-talkies for her search-and-rescue adventure) to pack in her backpack.  As in the previous story, Annie's exploits get her into a world of trouble, but in the end, it is Annie who saves the day--as I certainly would have, if my inner child had ever been allowed out!

"Washed with bright, cheerful watercolors, the cartoon-style pencil drawings magnify the story’s humor and high spirits. A fine addition to the Adventure Annie series, this picture book offers a dynamic alternative to stories about shy kids with kindergarten jitters." ~ Carolyn Phelan, Booklist  5-1-10

"Buzzeo’s dauntless heroine’s attitude is infectious, and Wummer gives the curly-mopped tyke all the visual verve she deserves." ~ Kirkus 6-1-10

' Another lively kindergartner is “Adventure Annie,” who made her debut in Adventure Annie Goes to Work. Toni Buzzeo brings this delightful character back to life in Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten. Dressed in a red cape and red boots, Adventure Annie is always on the lookout for great excitement, so she stuffs her backpack with her zookeeper hat, high wire slippers and walkie-talkies, “just in case.” This exuberant girl is every kindergarten teacher’s nightmare as she paints the hamster cage (to make the habitat look “natural”) and sneaks out to the jungle gym by herself. However, Annie and her walkie-talkies come to the rescue when two of her more timid classmates get lost while fetching milk cartons for lunch. This fast-paced tale will have readers chuckling, and Amy Wummer’s pencil and watercolor illustrations reveal the unfolding action and make Annie’s red cape fly. ~BookPage (reprinted in full with permission)

"Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten tells the story of Adventure Annie’s first day of kindergarten. There isn’t a shy bone in the little girl’s body and she jumps out of bed eager to get to school, packing her zookeeper hat, high wire slippers, and walkie-talkies (“just in case”) into her backpack. Her teacher, Mr. Todd, shows Annie her coat hook but she chooses to wear her superhero cape instead of hanging it up. When Mr. Todd tells the children about earning a Gold Star Deputy badge, Annie is just sure she is a shoe-in – but earning the badge requires following the Gold Star rules. Turns out that earning that badge is harder than Annie thinks and her love of adventure may just put her out of the running. An opportunity to shine finally arrives and Annie is up to the task.

This is a really cute story and the character of Annie refreshingly departs from the more standard shy, reticent child on their first day of kindergarten. I also really like that Toni chose to make the teacher a male. One of the most dynamic kindergarten teachers I ever worked with was a male and I think they are woefully unrepresented in children’s literature. And, due to Toni’s extensive background as a teacher and librarian, she has created a Reader’s Theater script and curriculum connections guide, complete with strands/standards, for teachers on her website. As if that weren’t enough, she has also provided teachers with a great list of suggested activities to go along with the title.

This would be an excellent book for elementary school libraries as both a read-aloud in the media center and as a classroom story and kick-off activity for kindergarten teachers. The many boisterous little children who start kindergarten full of enthusiasm and energy will find a kindred spirit in Annie. Perhaps they will also find one in a new favorite author. ~Susan K.S. Grigsby,
Elkins Pointe Middle School Teacher-Librarian and GLMA Summer Institute Chairperson (reprinted in full with permission)

"Adventure Annie is ready to face her newest challenge, kindergarten.  She packs her zookeeper hat, high wire slippers and walkie-talkies, just in case they are needed for her adventures at her new school.  The kind teacher, Mr. Todd explains to Annie and the class about the Kindergarten Gold Star Rules.  After a rocky beginning, Annie uses one special rule, “use inside voices,” to go on a searching adventure and saves the day!  For all the students who are so  excited about coming to school, Annie demonstrates that opportunities to enjoy kindergarten can happen at any time.  This will be a great addition to the library collection!" ~ Beverly Rovelli, Librarian, Lakeland, Florida (reprinted in full with permission)

"Toni Buzzeo has done it again!  Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten was published last week and it's a must have for the first days of Kindergarten. On Adventure Annie's first day of Kindergarten she wants desperately to be awarded Mr. Todd's coveted Kindergarten Gold Star Deputy award.  Try as she might, she misses a few of the Kindergarten Gold Star Rules, in true Adventure Annie style. However, she redeems herself by helping find two lost classmates.  "We're on our way" whispers Adventure Annie into her walkie-talkie ... and she is!! Two thumbs up for hot off the presses Adventure Annie Goes To Kindergarten!" ~
Rebecca Richardson, Librarian, St. James Episcopal Day School, Baton Rouge, LA (reprinted in full with permission)
"Our kinders got such a kick out of Annie's super hero outfit (especially the boys!), her exuberant personality, and of course they really related to being chosen as a special helper. Annie's preparation (she just happens to have her walkie-talkies on hand!), planning, and persistence pay off yet again by solving the mystery of the missing milk wagon and tracking down the lost students sent out to collect it!

Although we shared this at the end of the year rather than at the beginning (the story revolves around Annie's first day of kindergarten), it was a lot of fun for the kids to think back about their first day of kindergarten--their anticipation, excitement, and feelings, their wonderment at how big the school seemed, etc., and now how much they've learned and matured. They're also at a place in their experience to see the value and wisdom of classroom rules - something Annie is in the process of learning!

As in the first adventure, Annie's mother is the only parent to make an appearance, so this book lends itself well to children who come from single parent homes, or those perhaps where one parent is not currently around (serving in the military, etc.). Annie's ethnicity isn't distinct - she (and Mom) could easily have any number of ethnic identities. In Southern California with so many "blended" ancestries (especially Hispanic/Anglo), this is a real plus. Having a gentleman kindergarten teacher, a black principal, and students from a variety of ancestries pictured is a welcome reflection of many of our school communities today.” ~ Joanne Ladewig, Library Media Tech,Lawrence Elementary, Garden Grove, California  (reprinted in full with permission)

"As you put together your booklists for fall, if you serve PreK-2, you don’t want to miss Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten by Toni Buzzeo.  I had one of my kindergarten teachers share it with her students, and they likened it to Lilly from Kevin Henkes concerning her dress and need for adventure.  Annie of Adventure Annie Goes to Work is off to her first day of kindergarten, and she will make school an adventure for her peers as well as her teacher, Mr. Todd.  He has some great classroom “gold star rules” which Annie tries very hard to follow. Annie’s self-confidence and her energy are contagious.   Our students felt that gold stars should never go to just one person, but Annie truly earns hers.” ~Linda D. Sherouse, M.Ed., MLIS, North Hampton (NH) School (reprinted in full with permission)

"If you're like me, you're starting to refine that list of books you want to order for the new year (if your district has given you the funds). Consider adding Toni Buzzeo's new book, Adventure Annie Goes To Kindergarten, to that list. Many of you met her when she visited our summer enrichment academy or have read her informative posts on LM_NET. 

It would be a perfect back-to-school book for kindergarteners in that the main character (also featured in an earlier book by Toni) starts that grade.  Annie is very self-assured, helpful, resourceful and, to the initial concern of her new teacher, adventurous.  She starts school with everything she'll need for an adventure, including a set of walkie-talkies which do come in handy later in the book.  The illustrations are appealing and the story moves smoothly, making for a great read-aloud. I can see using it later in the year with kids who are moving into kindergarten.

Ever the teacher-librarian, Toni created an eight page curriculum guide and a Readers Theater script to accompany the book. ~Beverly Buller, Librarian, Santa Fe 5/6 Center, Newton, KS (reprinted in full with permission)