A Pocketful of Cricket
Rebecca Caudill
Paperback
(Henry Holt & Company, Jan. 1, 1971)
Jay is a boy enjoying the last summer days before the start of first grade. He finds a stone with a fern pattern on it, an arrowhead, a grey goose feather, and a cricket. On the first day of school he takes his friend cricket to school. His first day threatens to be disastrous as the cricket in his pocket begins to "fiddle" and disrupt class. But, an understanding, creative teacher turns a potential unhappy first day for Jay into a happy, exciting experience. This is a Caldecott 1965 Honor Book and a touching back-to-school picture book any first grade boy will enjoy.