Sal has been looking forward to first grade for a long time. But her excitement quickly turns to disappointment when she learns that her best friend Griff is in the other first-grade classroom and has the most popular teacher. Then Sal’s name is spelled wrong on her name tag;she trips in front of the cool fifth graders;and her self-portrait doesn’t turn out the way she wanted it to. In fact, everything about school is an absolute disaster. Poor Sal! Luckily for Sal, she has understanding parents, a terrific new teacher, and empathetic friends who remind her that it takes time to adjust to change. And after a few days, Sal feels like herself again. Still Sal highlights themes of family, friendship, social and emotional growth, resilience, and adapting to change.