School is Right Around the Corner

For many kids beginning school or a new school year can be a very anxious time.  We always get a number of requests for “Starting Kindergarten or Preschool” or “Back to School” books.  I’ll give you a list of my favorites, but check your local library for more!

The Kissing Hand ~ By, Audrey Penn
When Chester the raccoon is reluctant to go to kindergarten for the first time, his mother teaches him a secret way to carry her love with him.

Wemberly Worried ~ By, Kevin Henkes
A mouse named Wemberly, who worries about everything, finds that she has a whole list of things to worry about when she faces the first day of nursery school.

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten ~ By, Joseph Slate
Introduces the letters of the alphabet as Miss Bindergarten and her students get ready for kindergarten.

Emily’s First 100 Days of School ~ By, Rosemary Wells
Starting with number one for the first day of school, Emily learns the numbers to one hundred in many different ways.

The Night Before Kindergarten ~ By, Natasha Wing
It’s the first day of school! Join the kids as they prepare for kindergarten, packing school supplies, posing for pictures, and the hardest part of all—saying goodbye to Mom and Dad. But maybe it won’t be so hard once they discover just how much fun kindergarten really is!

I Am Too Absolutely Small for School ~ By, Lauren Child
When Lola is worried about starting school, her older brother Charlie reassures her.

David Goes to School ~ By, David Shannon
David’s activities in school include chewing gum, talking out of turn, and engaging in a food fight, causing his teacher to say over and over, “No, David!”

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid, Smelly Bus ~ By, Barbara Park
Remember when it was scary to go to school? ‘Cause it was your first day and you didn’t know anything. Meet Junie B. Jones, kindergartner. She’s so scared of the school bus and the meanies on it that when it’s time to go home, she doesn’t.

The Read, Write, Think website created in part by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) has a great Back to School booklist to check out as well!