Back to School Books

Books about the first day of school, starting kindergarten, preschool or a new school, books that help kids learn what to expect at school and build social emotional intelligence, plus a few silly stories about school to read anytime of year!

Updated August 30, 2024
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Isabel and her colores go to school
Alessandri, Alexandra
Paper Book
English, with its blustery blues and whites, just feels wrong to Isabel. She prefers the warm oranges and pinks of Spanish. As she prepares for class at a new school, she knows she's going to have to learn--and she would rather not! Her first day is uncomfortable, until she discovers there's more...
The Queen of Kindergarten
Barnes, Derrick
Paper Book
A confident little Black girl has a fantastic first day of school in this companion to the New York Times bestseller The King of Kindergarten. MJ is more than ready for her first day of kindergarten! With her hair freshly braided and her mom's special tiara on her...
We don't eat our classmates!
Higgins, Ryan T.
Paper Book
It's the first day of school for Penelope Rex, and she can't wait to meet her classmates. But it's hard to make human friends when they're so darn delicious! That is, until Penelope gets a taste of her own medicine and finds she may not be at the top of the food chain after all...
Danbi leads the school parade
Kim, Anna
Paper Book
An Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book Meet Danbi, the new girl at school! Danbi is thrilled to start her new school in America. But a bit nervous too, for when she walks into the classroom, everything goes quiet. Everyone stares. Danbi wants to...
Lola goes to school
McQuinn, Anna
Paper Book
The proudest blue : a story of hijab and family
Muhammad, Ibtihaj
Paper Book
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!   A powerful, vibrantly illustrated story about the first day of school--and two sisters on one's first day of hijab--by Olympic medalist and social justice activist Ibtihaj Muhammad.   With...
I'm new here
O'Brien, Anne Sibley
Paper Book
Three students are immigrants from Guatemala, Korea, and Somalia and have trouble speaking, writing, and sharing ideas in English in their new American elementary school. Through self-determination and with encouragement from their peers and teachers, the students learn to feel confident and...
All are welcome
Penfold, Alexandra
Paper Book
Join the call for a better world with this New York Times bestselling picture book about a school where diversity and inclusion are celebrated. The perfect back-to-school read for every kid, family and classroom! In our classroom safe and sound. Fears are lost and...
School's first day of school
Rex, Adam
Paper Book
"An essential purchase that is simultaneously funny, frank, and soothing. A perfect first day read-aloud."― School Library Journal, starred review A heartwarming and clever first day of school tale, from New York Times bestsellers Adam Rex (The Legend...
Creepy crayon!
Reynolds, Aaron
Paper Book
A #1 New York Times bestseller! From the team behind the New York Times bestselling Creepy Carrots! and Creepy Pair of Underwear! comes the third in this hilariously spooky series about a young rabbit and his peculiar encounters--featuring a...
I got the school spirit
Schofield-Morrison, Connie
Paper Book
Celebrate the new school year with this lively back-to-school read-aloud! Summer is over, and this little girl has got the school spirit! She hears the school spirit in the bus driving up the street--VROOM, VROOM!--and in the bell sounding in the halls--RING-A-DING!<...
This is a school
Schu, John
Paper Book
A moving celebration of school and all it may signify: work and play, creativity and trust, and a supportive community that extends beyond walls A school isn't just a building; it is all the people who work and learn together. It is a place for discovery and asking questions. A...
Luli and the language of tea
Wang, Andrea
Paper Book
Though they may speak different languages, kids from all over the world come together to enjoy the shared pastime of tea in this delicious book for young readers. When five-year-old Luli joins her new English as a Second Language class, the playroom is quiet. Luli can't speak...
The pigeon has to go to school!
Willems, Mo
Paper Book
Mo Willems, #1 New York Times best-selling creator and three-time Caldecott Honoree, presents everyone's favorite Pigeon trying to escape . . . SCHOOL.   Why does the Pigeon have to go to school? He already knows everything! And what if he doesn't like it? What if the...
The Day You Begin
Woodson, Jacqueline.
Paper Book
A #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Featured in its own episode in the Netflix original show Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices! National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and two-time Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner Rafael López have teamed up to...
Amy Wu and the warm welcome
Zhang, Kat
Paper Book
Amy Wu does her best to make her new classmate feel welcome in this warmhearted and playfully illustrated follow-up picture book to Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao and Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon. Amy's class has a new student from China! Amy tries hard to make Lin...

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