First-Year Orientation by Adi Alsaid, Aminah Mae Safi, Anna Birch, Bryan Bliss, Dana L. Davis, Eric Smith, Farah Naz Rishi, Gloria Chao, Jennifer Chen, Kathleen Glasgow, Kristina Forest, Lance Rubin, Lauren Gibaldi, Olivia A. Cole, Phil Stamper, Sam Maggs
Published by Candlewick Press on April 4, 2023
ISBN: 1536224499
Pages: 336
Genres: Short Stories
Format: Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads

Sixteen college first-years arrive on campus and experience that first tremulous day. Each chapter is a short story told by a different author, so voice, style and even genre vary widely – but woven throughout are shared experiences that link them together; a scavenger hunt, frat party, concert on the quad, and the like. Characters and events from one chapter are frequently referred to, ususally in passing, in others. This serves to tie the reading experience together even while each piece offers something unique and different, from realistic fiction to magical realism. The undeniable theme throughout is that the first day at college can be scary for everyone, but in the end, each student will find their place.

A nice addition to shelves, especially if your library has a lot of older college-prepping teens who might enjoy that “first day” experience through literature before real life.

– Reviewed by Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta