Big Kids

by K.L. Going, Reggie Brown (illustrator)

Genres: Picture Books, School, Friendship, Childrens, Back To School, School Stories, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

Published July 1, 2025

About the author

K.L. Going is the award winning author of numerous books for children and teens. Her first novel, Fat Kid Rules the World was named a Michael Printz Honor Book by the American Library Association, and was included on YALSA’s Best Books for Young Adults list and their list of Best Books for the Past Decade. Her books have been Booksense picks, Scholastic Book Club choices, Junior Library Guild selections, NY Public Library Best Books for the Teenage, and winners of state book awards. They’ve been featured by Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Children's Book Council as Best Books of the year. Her work has also been published in Korea, Italy, Japan, Germany, and the UK, and her novel Fat Kid Rules the World is soon to be an independent film!

K.L. began her career working at one of the oldest literary agencies in New York City. She used this inner knowledge of publishing to write Writing and Selling the Young Adult Novel -- a how-to book for aspiring writers, published by Writer's Digest. She has also written short stories for several anthologies and currently has multiple picture books under contract. She lives in Glen Spey, NY where she both writes and runs a business critiquing manuscripts. She’s also a mom to the world’s cutest little boy.

To visit KL on-line go to www.klgoing.com, www.facebook.com/klgoing, or at http://twitter.com/#!/KLGoing.

Reviews

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young dark-skinned child worries about the big kids on his first day of school. The big kids are loud and make big movements. He quickly learns that he need not have worried. Each big kid partners up with a little kid to be "buddies". The big kid buddy helps the littles learn where to go and help them get settled into their new routine.

A much needed story for littles beginning school.

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet book about belonging set on the first day of school. Reminds me of my fourth grade buddy days.

Mia’s 2nd Year of Books: Day 158

#1sttoCheckOut #1stDayofSchool

[TheRetiredSchoolLibrarian |Mrs. Ferraris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: A young boy describes his first day of school, highlighting all the activities the older kids participate in. It's Buddy Day, when he gets paired with an older student. His new friend takes him on a tour of the school, helping to ease his fears of the older students.

Comments: I love how the perspective of the big kids and little kids is complemented by the illustrations, which show the physical contrasts.

This would be the perfect read-aloud for the start of the school year, just before introducing the buddy system. We paired kindergartners with fifth graders.

Rating: 4.5/5 🟩🟩🟩🟩1/2

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little kid with first-day jitters feels intimidated by all the older kids at school, who seem like giants to the small boy. Fortunately, he’s paired with a big buddy who shows him the ropes, lends him a height advantage, and teaches him that big kids aren’t so scary once he gets to know them. What other fears can the boy now face with more confidence? Engaging illustrations skillfully depict how the boy’s fears distort his reality until he faces them, thereby restoring a healthy, well-adjusted perspective.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The irony of this being a back to school story of a little kid and the "big kids" at school including the really nice one that helped him out that I feel like this ALL the time walking through the halls of the high school I work at. I always joke that I'm walking in a redwood forest most of the time.

This one has a little whimsy but a lot of heart about the feelings and jitters of a new school year.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different look at the first day of school: the big kids are absolute giants in a new kindergartner's eyes. But when he is assigned one of those giants as his buddy, and that buddy walks him through the day showing him how things work, the big kids don't seem so overwhelming anymore. A very good visualization of settling into the new world of school.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

What kindergartner hasn't been intimidated by the "big kids" in school? This is a cute and funny story, with delightful illustrations, about a helpful big kid who helps our hero navigate his first day.

[GS Dachslove · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet story about older kid buddies at school. Black boy joy!

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this back to school story, where a big buddy helps a new kid feel more comfortable at school. A lot of schools do programs like this, and this book goes right into it.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really nice book for the beginning of school, especially since I am in a K-8 school.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little kid is intimidated until a big kid shows him the ropes at school.

Cute and fun.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed out loud while reading this sweet book about what the first day of preschool/kindergarten can feel like. LOVE Reggie Brown’s illustrations.