On Our Way with Mr. Jay

Cheer for the district's most intrepid school bus driver as he races to get everybody to school before the bell rings!

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.

Author: Chelsea Lin Wallace
Publisher: Neal Porter Books
Published: 07/29/2025
Pages: 48
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.06lbs
Size: 11.11h x 9.38w x 0.41d
ISBN: 9780823457045
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 04/28/2025
Kirkus Reviews 07/01/2025
School Library Journal 07/04/2025 pg. 1

About the Author
Chelsea Lin Wallace is a poet, a school theater director, and an award-winning children's author with an impressive lineup of books including Ode to a Bad Day, The Boo-Boos of Bluebell Elementary, and Dare to be Daring. When she's not penning stories, she's passionately involved in guiding kids through theater productions, coaching volleyball, and being a source of support through all their ups and downs. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and dog.

Thyra Heder is an author and illustrator of picture books, a storyboard and scenic artist for movies and TV, fashion and interior design, and an adjunct professor at Drexel University Westphal College of Media Arts & Design and School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University. Her picture books include Fraidyzoo, The Bear Report, Alfie, How Do You Dance? and Sal Boat, and have received critical acclaim and international translation. Born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she now lives in Brooklyn, New York.