Best Back to School Books
This list has the best back-to-school books for kids! Whether they’re nervous or excited for the first day of school, they’ll find a book on this list that can help ease their anxiety and stress. The start of the school year can be a super fun time!
Grab a few of these reads and read through them together. Every page has fun illustrations, stories, and ideas to get them prepped and ready for another amazing school year.
Books are a great way to prep the kids and involve them in the process. Show them this list of book ideas and let them pick out their favorites!
What are fun ways to help kids get prepared for the first day of school?
Getting kids excited and prepared for the first day of school can be both fun and meaningful with a little creativity! Start by creating a back-to-school countdown with stickers or paper chains to build anticipation. Let them pick out their school supplies or pack their backpack together—it gives them a sense of control and excitement.
Reading fun books about starting school can ease nerves and spark conversations. Role-playing a school day with stuffed animals helps them know what to expect. You can also make a “practice morning” complete with breakfast, getting dressed, and a pretend walk to school.
Most importantly, talk about what they’re looking forward to and remind them that it’s okay to feel a mix of emotions.
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What are good conversation starters to have with kids about their first day of school?
Here are some fun and thoughtful conversation starters to help kids open up about their first day of school:
- “What was the best thing that happened today?”
- “Did anything make you laugh?”
- “Who did you sit next to at lunch or during class?”
- “Did you learn something new or surprising?”
- “What part of the day felt the longest or shortest?”
- “What was your favorite thing you did today?”
- “Was there anything that made you feel nervous or unsure?”
- “Who is someone new you met or noticed today?”
- “If you could change one thing about your day, what would it be?”
- “What are you most excited about for tomorrow?”
These questions go beyond “How was your day?” and invite kids to share specific feelings and experiences in a way that feels natural and fun.
More Back to School Fun:
- Over 50 Lunch Ideas for Back to school
- 20 Back to School Breakfast Ideas from Crystal and Comp
- Over a dozen Welcome Back to School Letters
- Love these BTS Lunchbox Note Cards from Crystal and Comp
- Back to School Coloring Pages
1
Splat the Cat: Back to School, Splat!
How can there be homework when it’s only the first day of school? Splat must pick only one of all of his fun summer adventures to share with his classmates at show-and-tell. But in the end, Splat may find that the best part of his summer wasn’t an adventure at all. . . .
See it here
2
First Day Jitters (The Jitters Book 1)
Everyone knows that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach just before diving into a new situation. Sarah Jane Hartwell is scared and doesn't want to start over at a new school. She doesn't know anybody, and nobody knows her. It will be awful. She just knows it. With much prodding from Mr. Hartwell, Sarah Jane reluctantly pulls herself together and goes to school. She is quickly befriended by Mrs. Burton, who helps smooth her jittery transition. This charming and familiar story will delight readers with its surprise ending.
See it here
3
Back-to-School Rules
School's in session! When it comes to surviving school, Percy's at the head of the class. If you can follow his ten simple rules, making the grade will be a piece of cake (and school will be a lot of fun). But there's more to school than showing up on time and staying awake in class. If you have any doubts, Percy also shows exactly what not to do.
See it here
4
Curious George’s First Day of School
It’s the first day of school, and Curious George has been invited to Mr. Apple’s class to be a special helper! George is just the right monkey for the job—until he starts to wreak his usual havoc, that is. Red and yellow paint makes orange, yellow and blue makes green . . . and a mixture of all the paint colors makes a big mess! Curious George and the First Day of School is a story based on H. A. and Margret Rey’s popular primate and painted in the original watercolor and charcoal style.
See it here
5
The Night Before First Grade
It's the night before the Big Day—first grade. Penny is excited to start the year with her best friend right beside her in the same classroom. This humorous take on Clement C. Moore's classic tale has a perfect twist ending that will surprise readers—as well as the “heroine” of the story—and help all about-to-be first-graders through their own back-to-school jitters.
See it here
6
Time for School, Charlie Brown: Ready-to-Read Level 2 (Peanuts)
It’s almost time for the first day of school, but Charlie Brown can’t stop worrying. Can he find the confidence to quit fretting and have a great year? After all, school is tons of fun…right? Good grief, Charlie Brown!
See it here
7
How to Get Your Teacher Ready (How To Series)
This humorous new book in the beloved HOW TO . . . series takes readers through a fun and busy school year. Written in tongue-in-cheek instructional style, a class of adorable students gives tips and tricks for getting a teacher ready—for the first day of school, and all the events and milestones that will follow (picture day, holiday concert, the 100th day of school, field day!). And along the way, children will see that getting their teacher ready is really getting themselves ready.
See it here
8
Second Grade, Here I Come!
D. J. Steinberg's heartfelt, relatable, and silly poems bring to life the highlights of second grade—reading those big-kid books, trying out for the school play, and even dance breaks to wiggle "arms and legs and kaboodles. . . like a big bunch of second-grade noodles!"
See it here
9
My Weird School Special: Back to School, Weird Kids Rule!
Summer is almost over, and you know what that means—time to head back to school! But when a tropical storm ends A.J.'s vacation earlier than expected, he and his family have to stay at Andrea's house. Ugh, disgusting! When everyone in the house starts getting cabin fever, and even back-to-school shopping won't calm the kids down, Andrea and A.J. are sent to Camp Ockatollyquay. The catch? It's a camp to get kids ready for school! But not to worry—Andrea and A.J. rally the Ella Mentry School gang to end their summer on a note they'll never forget.
See it here
10
Back to School with Bigfoot
The first day of school is right around the corner! And everything is bigger for Bigfoot — especially back to school problems like getting a haircut, trying on new clothes, and finding new shoes that fit! Told from a giant (and very hairy) point of view, Back to School with Bigfoot deftly tackles the worries kids face as that first day of school draws closer, and ends on a colossal high note!
See it here
11
Dancing Dinos Go to School (Step into Reading)
The dancing dinos are back, and this time, when their book turns up in a school library, they leap out and bring their musical mayhem to a kid’s classroom. This fun, rhyming Step 1 reader is perfect for back-to-school!
See it here
12
Amelia Bedelia Goes Back to School
Would you like to have Amelia Bedelia in your classroom? Just ask Miss Wilson. But don't give Amelia Bedelia any problems. Or ask her to take her seat. Or tell her to paint anything. Amelia Bedelia is ready to learn, but it's the class that gets a lesson — in reading, writing, and ridiculousness! Pull back the flaps to peek at Amelia Bedelia's school day.
See it here
13
A Tiger Tail
Anya wakes up to discover that she has grown a tiger tail. Yes, a striped tiger tail. It also happens to be the first day of school. What will the other kids think? Are girls with tiger tails even allowed to go to school?!
See it here
14
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School…
Then there are the evil ninjas, massive ape, mysterious mole people, giant blob, and countless other daunting (and astonishing) detours along the way to school. Are these excuses really why this student is late? Or is there another explanation that is even more outrageous than the rest?
See it here
15
I Don’t Want to Go to School
"I don't want to go to school!""Why not? It's the first day! Aren't you excited?"Joey doesn't want to go to school and he has a whole list of far-fetched reasons to stay home. Can his mom convince him otherwise?
See it here
16
Back to School, Mallory
Summer is over and that can only mean one thing for eight-year-old Mallory McDonald (like the restaurant, but no relation)—she has to go back to school. But not just any school, a new school with all new kids in it. To make matters worse, her mom is going, too! She’s the new music teacher, and Mallory can’t think of anything that could possibly be worse—until her first day. She has to sit with Pamela, who always says the right thing and steals her ideas.
See it here
17
Back to Dog-Gone School (Step into Reading)
From the bus stop to the last bell, this photographic Step 2 early reader—consisting of school-themed poems—is sure to delight dog lovers and those anxious about going back to school. Most of the poems are from the hardcover picture books by husband-and-wife team Ron and Amy Schmidt, Loose Leashes and Dog-Gone School, and there are a few new poems and photos, too!
See it here
18
It’s Back to School We Go!: First Day Stories From Around the World
It's Back to School We Go!: First Day Stories from Around the World rounds up 11 first-day-of-school tales.
See it here
19
Back to School with Betsy
Third grade begins with disappointment–Betsy's beloved teacher, Miss Grey, won't be teachng anymore. But the new year is packed with fun and surprises, including one great piece of news that Betsy declares is about "the wonderfullest thing that ever happened.
See it here
20
The Back-to-School Fright from the Black Lagoon
Summer vacation is over and that means one thing–back to school. For Hubie, getting ready to go back is worse than actually going to class. His mom picks out all the wrong clothes, he gets back-to-back shots from his doctor, and there are rumors of a new teacher worse than any other. Will Hubie fail before school even starts?
See it here
21
Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School (Junie B. Jones)
Hello, school children! Hello! Hello! It’s me . . . Junie B., First Grader!I have been going to school for over one-and-a-half entire years now. And I have learned a jillion things that will help you survive at that place. And guess what? Now I am going to pass this information on to y-o-u!!! I wrote it all down in my brand-new book!
See it here
22
Back to School (Boxed Set): School Story; The Report Card; A Week in the Woods
Andrew Clements is the undisputed master of the school story. His kid-friendly humor and keen and empathetic understanding of middle-grade life and classroom dynamics have propelled his books onto both bestseller and state award lists throughout the country. Now three of his most popular school stories are available in a handsome boxed set.
See it here
Which of these school books are you going to read first?
SO many of our favorites! Thank you so much for sharing this great collection of books with us at Encouraging Hearts and Home. Pinned.
Love this list of books! Going to pick up a few at the library – thanks! Plus, this post is being featured in my round-up of 20+ EPIC Ideas for Back to School. http://www.happyandblessedhome.com/20-epic-ideas-for-easier-back-to-school-routines/ Thank for sharing at Family Fun Friday!