As a former 1st grade teacher, and mom to 4 little ones, I believe in the power of picture books. The stories model important skills and problem solving techniques. Kids relate to the characters and imagine themselves in their shoes. They begin to see the characters’ perspectives and feel a sense of empathy for their plights and dilemmas.
As children begin each new school year they are faced with many emotions. They can range from super excited to anxious and worried. I have compiled a list of some of my favorite back-to-school books that can help your students and little ones cope with their emotions and go into this new year with confidence.
{This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links} If you click the book photos they will take you to the Amazon listing for that specific book. If you purchase using this link, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I have placed these links for your convenience, but you can find many of these books in your public or school libraries.
The Kissing Hand By: Audrey Penn
I read this book every year to my first grade class. It is perfect for any little ones who are having a hard time being away from home. It is a sweet story about a mama raccoon easing her little one’s worries about going to school. This year I read it to my son, since he is about to start Kindergarten and it really was a special way to remind him how much I love him and give him more comfort for his upcoming adventures.
Mae’s First Day of School By: Kate Berube
If you have a little one who is nervous about starting school, this is the perfect book to help. Mae does not want to go to school. She is worried the other kids won’t like her, or she may not know as many answers as her classmates. But in this sweet story she overcomes her fears and finds out she isn’t the only one who feels that way on the first day.
Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes Written by: Eric Litwin Illustrated by: James Dean
We love all of the Pete the Cat books around here. Especially ones that you can read to a rockin’ beat. (I promise that if you jam while you read it makes the books WAY more fun! Don’t be afraid to look silly, they will love it!) This book great for easing first day jitters, by talking about different areas of the school and making everything seem fun and groovy.
Teachers, if you love this book and want a rockin’ back to school kit to welcome in your new class, you can check this one out by clicking here.
If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, DON’T! By: Elise Parsley
Humor. The best way to lighten the mood and lift spirits. Sometimes the unknown of a new year can seem scary. I always love to read books that make the kids laugh and set the tone that school is going to be FUN! I am a firm believer that if kids love school at an early age, they will continue to have a great attitude and success throughout their school years. This book is about a little girl who is convinced that an alligator is a great idea for show and tell. She learns her lesson as the alligator causes all sorts of chaos throughout the day.
Chrysanthemum By Kevin Henkes
I know I already put this book in my list of Picture Books the Encourage Children to Be Themselves, but it is one of my favorite books for the first week of school too. This book helps remind kids that they are amazing just the way they are. It also shows them that their name is special, and that others should treat it that way as well. I love doing getting to know you and name activities after reading this adorable story.
First Day Jitters By:Julie Danneberg Illustrated by Judy Love
This book shows that it is totally normal to feel nervous on the first day of school. Sometimes even the teacher is nervous. The kids will get a kick out of the hilarious twist at the end of this story.
The Recess Queen By Alexis O’Neill Illustrated by: Laura Huliska-Beith
This book is a great way to start discussions about behavior at recess. It shows how being a good friend can make a huge difference. This provides kids with a wonderful solution to conflicts at recess. I think it is a wonderful book to read at the beginning of the year to establish the importance of kindness and friendship.
Wemberly Worried By: Kevin Henkes
Another amazing book by Kevin Henkes. This one is about little Wemberly. She worried about everything. When it was time for her to start school she was especially worried. But when she got there she made a great friend and her worries seemed to disappear. This book is great for children who are really anxious and nervous about school. Wemberly is a character they can relate to, and they can see how she was able to overcome her fears and really enjoy school. This is also great to encourage the other kids to befriend some of their classmates that may be nervous and timid.
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates By: Ryan T. Higgins
This is one of my new back-to-school favorites. My son loves dinosaurs, so we thought we would give this book a try, and we loved it. It is so funny and reminds students that it is important to be kind to their peers. You don’t have to love dinos to find the humor in this book. If you haven’t read it, I totally recommend it.
A Bad Case of Stripes By: David Shannon
This book was also in my list of picture books that that encourage children to be themselves. It is one of my favorite picture books. (I only have about 1,000 favorites) But it is perfect for the beginning of the year. Camila Cream is afraid to be herself. She is so worried about what everyone will think of her on the first day of school. But with those worries came a bunch of wild changes. By the end of the story she finds out that the best thing to do is just be herself.
Do Unto Otters {A Book About Manners} By: Laurie Keller
This is such a fun book to introduce your expectations and rules in the classroom. Setting clear expectations from the beginning and building a positive classroom community makes a world of difference. This will help you set the tone for your class all year long. I like that this story focuses on manners and other important positive behaviors. I found this fun little version of the story on YouTube. They read it with different character voices and add in music and sound effects. You can watch that here.
The Dot By: Peter H. Reynolds
Do you do a big beginning of the year project that you like to display on a bulletin board or in the hall? This book would be perfect before doing that project. It has an inspiring teacher who sees the potential in her student and shows how much you can accomplish if you simply TRY.
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten By: Joseph Slate Illustrated By: Ashley Wolff
This book is specific for Kindergarten. It is about how all of the students and teacher get ready for the exciting first day of school. This book adds in the alphabet by using alliteration with each of the students’ names.
This School Year will be THE BEST! By: Kay Winters Illustrated by: Renee Andriani
Isn’t it fun to go over what everyone is most excited about in the new school year? I love hearing each of the kids’ hopes and dreams for the year. In first grade it was usually lunch. This book talks about some of the favorite things that your class may also get to experience.
Nugget and Fang By: Tammi Sauer Illustrated by: Michael Slack
This book shares a wonderful message about inclusion and kindness. It is also funny and has darling illustrations. The lovable characters with an unlikely friendship share with others that it is important to not judge others by their appearance or background.
Our Class is a Family By: Shannon Olsen Illustrated by: Sandie Sonke
I absolutely love this new book! I think it is a must have for every classroom. It shares the message of a kind and caring classroom community where everyone can learn and grow together.
Looking for even more back to school book recommendations?
Check out this blog post written by my friend Erin from Littles Love Literacy for more read alouds to add to your list to prep for the beginning of the year.
