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25 Best Back to School Books for Kids
Back to school books for kids are a great way to help young children get past first day of school jitters.
Whether they are starting kindergarten, or moving up a grade level, the new school year can be scary. Children come to school with a variety of emotions. Some kids feel scared and sad to leave their families, while others come ready to meet new friends. This is why a wide selection of back to school books for kids can help start the new year in a fun way.
Before putting this list of books together, I searched through my personal collection of first day of school books. I also asked fellow teachers on Instagram to share a great book that a new teacher should add to their collection. Finding only one perfect book for young readers is hard when there are so many great books to choose from.
Below are the most recommended back to school picture books for PreK, kindergarten, first, and second grade. All of them are great for helping kids adapt to new classmates, new experiences, a new teacher, and the overall excitement of the first day of school.
Preschool Back to School Books for Kids
Clifford’s First School Day
This is a classic storybook about Clifford’s adventure back to school. It’s great for kids to enjoy on the first day of school!
Biscuit Goes to School
This short and simple back to school book is great for starting your homeschool journey, or as a quick read aloud in the classroom. Biscuit is a favorite character loved by kids ages 4-8
Llama Llama Misses Mama
It’s Llama’s first day of preschool, and he misses mama llama! This would be a perfect read aloud book for preschool and preK to help the kids get over their separation anxiety.
Froggy Goes to School
This fun read aloud for back to school will get the kids participating and forgetting about their first day nerves.
Kindergarten Read Aloud Books
Kindergarten, Here I Come
Take away those nervous jitters with a light and funny poem for all the milestones kindergarten has to offer – from the first day of school to the 100th day of school celebration!
The Night Before Kindergarten
Help the kids understand it’s normal to miss mom and dad when starting kindergarten. This read aloud book will help them relate to text, and become engaged in conversations about their feelings. This would be a great ice-breaker conversation on the first day of school – asking the kids to share what they did to get ready for school the night before.
On the First Day of Kindergarten
This fun first day of school book is an adaption of the “the twelve days of Christmas” song. There are lots of fun things to happen in kindergarten, and this book helps set the stage for kiddos that are excited and nervous.
The King of Kindergarten
This Newberry Honor-winning author, Derrick Barnes, has done it again! The King of Kindergarten is a New-York Times best seller, and should be in your collection of back to school books for kindergarten.
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
This book was a class favorite year after year! It has fun rhymes, bright illustrations, and sets the tone for a fun first day of kindergarten.
Classroom Community Back to School Books for Kids
David Goes to School
Whew…David is exhausting and needs a lot of reminders of how to behave in school!
Chrysanthemum
This book is perfect as a bridge for lessons about building a positive classroom community. There are many different ways you can use this book. For example, focus on kindness while also doing name building activities. You can do a cute follow up activity for names, and create a welcome back display board.
Our Class is a Family
I’m so grateful a fellow teacher, and family member, recommended this book! I don’t know how it wasn’t already in my collection of Back to School books! Help create a home away from home in your awesome classroom with this #1 Best-Seller book for kids.
Back to School Rules
The Back to School Rules would be great for the slightly older kids – ranging from first to third grade.
What Should Danny Do? School Day
I can’t say enough how much I love this book! It’s an interactive, fun, and shows the kids they have the power to choose how their day will go! There are 8 stories in one based on how the kids choose during each scenario! Great for ages 4-9.
My Magical Choices
Teach your kids to be responsible, fun, patient, and confident with this book for kids about making good choices.
The Day You Begin
#1 Best Seller for children’s fiction and social situations! This book is about finding courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone. This is a must-have in your back to school read-aloud book collection.
More Fun Back to School Books for Kids
The Pigeon HAS to Go to School
Even though Pigeon already knows everything, he still has to go to school. This popular picture book series for kids addresses the fears and anxieties that kids feel as they get ready to start school in a fun and silly way. The kids will be laughing and giggling as they face their fears with Pigeon.
If You Take a Mouse to School
#1 New York Times best selling book from the “If You Give a…” series!
First Day Jitters
Help your kiddos get over those terrible nervous feelings about starting school with First Day Jitters, a classic addition to your collection of back to school books.
The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School
When the little kids come in pouting about going to school, this children’s read aloud will help them feel better about all the fun things to come!
Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes
What little boy or young girl doesn’t love a cat rocking out about the big day? Pete the Cat has on his rocking school shoes as he grooves around checking out everything in the school. This fun read aloud will be sure to put a smile on the kids faces – leaving them feeling excited and happy about starting school.
Sorry, Grown-ups, You Can’t Go to School
This interactive, role-reversal, book will have the kids laughing and proud to go to school.
I Don’t Want to Go to School!
There will likely be many kids who can relate to the feeling of not wanting to go to school. But, Joey, on the other hand, comes up with a whole list of reasons and excuses why he can’t go. This teacher-designed book is perfect for the first week of school in first grade!
The Kissing Hand
Chester Raccoon doesn’t want to leave his mom and go to school. This heart-warming, classic children’s book, will help kids understand that their families are thinking of them, and will be waiting for them as soon as they get home from school. There are endless crafts on pinterest that you can do with this back to school book.
I hope you enjoyed these book picks for young children. If you are looking for the best books for upper elementary students, leave a comment below and I will be glad to help.
Before you go, here are a few blog posts you will enjoy:
18 Transition Songs for the Classroom
20 Books for Teaching Diversity to Kids
5 Fun Back To School Poems for Kids
Kindergarten School Supply List
