On Our Way with Mr. Jay (Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2025)

A school is an entire community of its own, but many of its members never get celebrated. This book, the hero is the school bus driver! The first staff member kids see in the morning and the last they say goodbye to, the bus driver has a crucial part to play--and Mr. Jay is up to the challenge.

With the clock ticking all the while, Mr. Jay picks up kids from all over town--out in the country, up a hill, in the busy city, always piloting his bus with jaunty rhymes and a can-do attitude. Along the route, he's called upon to settle stomachs, clean up pony poo, and fix a diorama. He avoids a stampede, settles down an intruding dog, and even fights off hostile swans! But will he get the kids to school on time?

Chelsea Lin Wallace and Thyra Heder deliver a rollicking, high-energy ride with On Our Way with Mr. Jay, the first in a series of books about school heroes. Whether eager for the start of school, nervous about new experiences, or fond of their own beloved driver, kids will be giggling and cheering their way through this irrepressible, fun-filled read-aloud.