"In this feel-good coming-of-age memoir, the best-selling author and Caldecott Medalist shares his life-changing middle school trip to Europe during which he experiences a series of firsts, including first love. 15,000 first printing. Illustrations. " - (Baker & Taylor)

*Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature*

A middle grade graphic memoir based on bestselling author and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat's awkward middle school years and the trip to Europe that changed his life.

Dan's always been a good kid. The kind of kid who listens to his teachers, helps his mom with grocery shopping, and stays out of trouble. But being a good kid doesn't stop him from being bullied and feeling like he's invisible, which is why Dan has low expectations when his parents send him on a class trip to Europe.

At first, he's right. He's stuck with the same girls from his middle school who love to make fun of him, and he doesn't know why his teacher insisted he come on this trip. But as he travels through France, Germany, Switzerland, and England, a series of first experiences begin to change him—first Fanta, first fondue, first time stealing a bike from German punk rockers... and first love.

Funny, heartwarming, and poignant, A First Time for Everything is a feel-good coming-of-age memoir based on New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat's awkward middle school years. It celebrates a time that is universally challenging for many of us, but also life-changing as well.

Praise for A First Time for Everything:

"This is Santat at his best."
?Horn Book

"[A] relatable story of self-discovery... the perfect balance of humor and poignancy."
?Kirkus, starred review

Dan Santat is the Caldecott Medal–winning and New York Times–bestselling author and illustrator of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend and the road trip/time travel adventure Are We There Yet? His artwork is also featured in numerous picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade novels, including Dav Pilkey's Ricky Ricotta series. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and many, many pets. - (McMillan Palgrave)

Booklist Reviews

*Starred Review* Within five pages, Dan is plunged into the ultimate middle-school nightmare, forced to recite a poem in front of the entire student body without any warning. It doesn't go well for him and proves only the first of many humiliations—everything from being publicly shot down asking a girl out to suffering the aromatic, ostracizing consequences of getting barfed on. It's inconceivably terrible . . . and completely familiar, sure to engender instant empathy in any middle-school reader, even those who've only experienced such agonies in their imaginations. As it turns out, long before he was an award-winning artist, Santat was a little afraid of the world outside his door. But in the summer before high school, a sponsored trip headed by a thoughtful teacher will take him from the tiny town of Camarillo, California, through six European cities and, as the title promises, expose him to many firsts. A first airplane ride, beer, cigarette, coffee, date, love, and broken heart will all point him in a more hopeful, open direction. The warmth and specificity of his art, both in the way emotions flow from faces and in the evocation of places, highlight his memoir's lesson and make it a great read among a crowded field, especially for sensitive middle-grade boys. Grades 6-8. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.