Kids
Back to School Book List
Conquer those first day worries with these reassuring back to school reads!
PICTURE BOOK
Butterflies On the First Day of School written by Annie Silvestro; illustrated by Dream Chen PrinteBookThe night before Rosie starts kindergarten, her tummy suddenly hurts. Rosie's mom reassures her that it's just butterflies in her belly, and she'll feel better soon. Much to Rosie's surprise, when she says hello to a new friend on the bus, a butterfly flies out of her mouth! As the day goes on, Rosie frees all her butterflies, and even helps another shy student let go of hers, too.
PICTURE BOOK
A Thousand White Butterflies written by Jessica Betancourt-Perez; illustrated by Karen Lynn Williams PrintNewly arrived from Colombia, Isabella's first day of school in the United States is cancelled because of snow and when Isabella notices a girl playing outside she makes a new friend, despite the language barrier.
PICTURE BOOK
First Day Critter Jitters written by Jory John; illustrated by Liz Climo PrinteBookIt's almost the first day of school, and the animals are nervous. When they all arrive at their classroom, though, they're in for a surprise: their teacher, the armadillo, is nervous too! But by the next day, the animals have all figured out how to help one another through their jitters. School isn't so scary after all.
PICTURE BOOK
I Am Smart, I Am Blessed, I Can Do Anything! written by Alissa Holder; illustrated by Zulekha Holder-Young PrinteBook
eAudio It's a new day and Ayaan has woken up on the wrong side of the bed, where nothing feels quite right. But as he sets out that morning, all it takes is a few reminders from his mom and some friends in the neighborhood to remind him that a new day is a good day because... HE IS SMART, HE IS BLESSED, AND HE CAN DO ANYTHING!
PICTURE BOOK
My First Day written and illustrated by Phùng Nguyên Quang & Huỳnh Kim Liên PrintThe rainy season has come to the Mekong Delta, and An, a young Vietnamese boy, sets out alone in a wooden boat wearing a little backpack and armed only with a single oar. On the way, he is confronted by giant crested waves, heavy rainfall and eerie forests, but continues to paddle. He knows it will all be worth it when he reaches his destination: school, on his very first day.
PICTURE BOOK
The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! written and illustrated by Mo Willems Print The pigeon must go to school, but frets about math, learning the alphabet, heavy backpacks, and what the teacher and other birds will think of him.
PICTURE BOOK
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family written by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S. K. Ali ; illustrated by Hatem Aly PrintFaizah relates how she feels on the first day her sister, sixth-grader Asiya, wears a hijab to school.
EARLY READER
Max & Mo's First Day at School written Patricia Lakin; illustrated by Brian Floca PrintIt's back to school time for Max and Mo. This year they are living in the art room. Now they have to make new friends, but how will these big ones learn their names?
EARLY CHAPTER BOOK
Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend written by Dawn Quigley ; illustrated by Tara Audibert PrinteBook
eAudio Jo Jo Makoons Azure is a spirited seven-year-old who moves through the world a little differently than anyone else on her Ojibwe reservation. Jo Jo worries that she needs to figure out how to make more friends, because Fern, her best friend at school, may not want to be friends anymore.
CHAPTER BOOK
Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom written and illustrated by Booki Vivat PrinteBook
eAudioNervous about middle school because her family does not get her and her friends know exactly what they want to do, Abbie Wu searches for her own passion before discovering a knack for leadership when injustices in the cafeteria come to light.
NONFICTION
Clothesline Clues to the First Day of School written by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Andy Robert Davies Print Drying clothes suggest different people the reader will meet on the first day of school.