The aerial view of a maze of stairways, hallways, and doorways exemplifies the confusion of Boomer, an endearing golden retriever, when his morning routine is interrupted by a visit to his owner's school. Boomer is unsure of what to expect at school but enthusiastically joins the children in painting--he accidentally spills paint cans, pads through the colored puddles, and autographs students' works with his paw prints; he enjoys recess when he steals the soccer ball; and he relishes lunch, where he ravenously rips into all available goodies. Boomer is squirmy and yappy and unwilling to be still for quiet circle time until he is led to the circle's center to be the object of show-and-tell. Whyte's lively watercolors expressively capture the energy of primary-schoolers and the array of emotions Boomer experiences during his first day at school. Previously popular for surviving his family's move in Boomer's Big Day (1994), the engaging dog may now help alleviate youngsters' fear of that inevitable first day at school. Ellen Mandel