Recommended Reads

If you take a mouse to school, he'll ask you for your lunch box. When you give him your lunch box, he'll want a sandwich to go in it. Then he'll need a notebook and some pencils. He'll probably want to share your backpack, too . . .

The famous mouse from the New York Times #1 best-seller If You Take a Mouse to the Movies and If You give a Mouse a Cookie is back for his first day of school. Only Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond could make school this much fun!

Pete the Cat is back—and this time he’s rocking in his school shoes. Pete discovers the library, the lunchroom, the playground, and lots of other cool places at school. And no matter where he goes, Pete never stops moving and grooving and singing his song . . . because it’s all good.

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 hope is found.

Discover a school where all young children have a place, have a space, and are loved and appreciated.

Readers will follow a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcomed with open arms. A school where students from all backgrounds learn from and celebrate each other's traditions. A school that shows the world as we will make it to be.

“An important book that celebrates diversity and inclusion in a beautiful, age-appropriate way.” – Trudy Ludwig, author of The Invisible Boy

School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester's fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. Since its first publication in 1993, this heartwarming book has become a children's classic that has touched the lives of millions of children and their parents, especially at times of separation, whether starting school, entering daycare, or going to camp. It is widely used by kindergarten teachers on the first day of school. Stickers at the back will help children and their parents keep their Kissing Hand alive.

From acclaimed, prolific author Jane Yolen comes a Level 1 Ready-to-Read story bursting with all the excitement and a little bit of the nervousness that color a fish’s first day at a new school.

I look around.
What do I see?
Another fish who’s just like me!
A little scared.
A little new.
All alone and feeling blue.

Starting at a new school is never easy, but it can also be really exciting. Beginning readers can follow along as one intrepid little fish goes through the many emotions associated with a new school experience!

A simple, clever text paired with utterly adorable animal characters makes school-day jitters seem not so big after all!

Bear is so big, and he's ready to start school!

But even if you're SO BIG, you might feel a little nervous at times.

Can Bear brave his first day and find a way to make it feel just right?

A clever and charming story, So Big! will help young readers through all the important first steps in life.

Acclaim for Dad's First Day
Bank Street Best Children's Books of 2016--outstanding merit title

Acclaim for Moo!
An ALA Notable book
A BCCB Blue Ribbon selection

Wemberly worried about everything.

Big things.

Little things.

And things in between.

Then it was time for school to start.And Wemberly worried even more.

If you ever worry (or know someone who does), this is the book for you.

A picture book school story featuring the New York Times bestselling panda named Chu from Newbery Medal-winning author Neil Gaiman and acclaimed illustrator Adam Rex!

Chu, the adorable panda with a great big sneeze, is heading off for his first day of school, and he's nervous. He hopes the other boys and girls will be nice. Will they like him? What will happen at school? And will Chu do what he does best?

Chu's First Day of School is a perfect read-aloud story about the universal experience of starting school.

For fans of Fancy Nancy, Ladybug Girl, and Chu’s First Day of School, this is an irresistible and hilarious story about a wise and witty girl who is always ready to learn—from author Jenna McCarthy and illustrator Sara Palacios. 

Meet Lola! Lola knows a lot. She can cartwheel, she can tie her shoes...she can make her sister crazy. The only thing Lola DOESN’T know...is if she’s really ready to go to school. 

A New York Times bestselling author (The True Meaning of Smekday) and illustrator (Last Stop on Market Street) team bring you a fresh look at the first day of school, this time from the school's perspective.

It's the first day of school at Frederick Douglass Elementary and everyone's just a little bit nervous, especially the school itself. What will the children do once they come? Will they like the school? Will they be nice to him?

The school has a rough start, but as the day goes on, he soon recovers when he sees that he's not the only one going through first-day jitters.

Have some monstrous fun going back to school!

Celebrate the first day of school with hilarious, energetic monsters in Monsters Love School by author-illustrator Mike Austin.

Summer is over, and now it's time for the biggest adventure of all...Monster School! Join these colorful monsters as they go to school for the first time. Reading and writing and learning your monster history has never been so much fun!

Fans of Monsters Love Colors and others will love this exciting picture book.

You can call her Ally-SAURUS! When Ally roars off to her first day at school, she hopes she'll meet lots of other dinosaur-mad kids in class. Instead, she's the only one chomping her food with fierce dino teeth and drawing dinosaurs on her nameplate. Even worse, a group of would-be "princesses" snubs her! Will Ally ever make new friends? With its humorous art, appealing heroine, and surprise ending, this fun picture book celebrates children's boundless imagination.

Starting school is an adventure—especially when you have a magical unicorn friend by your side! Kids can conquer their first-day-of-school jitters with this colorful, beautifully illustrated storybook.

It’s almost time for Evie to go to school, but thinking about it makes her feel nervous. Preschool was lots of fun, but big school sounds a little scary. When Evie gets ready for school, though, she makes a magical discovery. Hidden inside the pocket of her dress is Bobby—a tiny school unicorn! Bobby has a very important job—helping children feel brave when they go to school. With her new magical friend by her side, Evie soon learns that starting school is LOTS of fun! Written specifically for preschoolers, this magical tale of friendship will soothe your little one’s starting-school worries, and includes instructions on how to make your very own school unicorn!

The perfect introduction to the joy of preschool, featuring a diverse teacher and classroom (originally published in hardcover as Hello School!)

A diverse class of excited youngsters are about to start school and experience all its wonders! Small moments like discovering one's own cubby space and big moments like a first nature walk are all brought to life with inviting artwork. This is a great book to help familiarize children with all the activities they can expect at school, from circle time to snack time to goodbye time, all the while sharing the experiences with lots of great new friends.

Perfect for nervous/excited kids about to go to kindergarten (and their parents!). This engaging adaptation of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” convinces parents and children alike that there is no place cooler than a kindergarten classroom.

On the first day of kindergarten, there’s so much to do! From making new friends to jumping rope in gym to riding the bus to school, there are lots of exciting firsts to look forward to.

Even though saying good-bye to Mom and Dad is hard, when the school bus pulls up, it’s time to begin kindergarten fun.

Tish Rabe is a seasoned children’s book author with over 160 titles, including ones for Sesame Street and Curious George, under her belt. Like Natasha Wing with The Night Before Christmas, Rabe puts a novel spin on a first-day-of-school classic with On the First Day of Kindergarten.

And don't miss the follow-up: On the First Day of First Grade!

Join Clifford in this brand-new storybook as he spends the day with Emily Elizabeth in kindergarten



Emily Elizabeth is starting Kindergarten and she's a little nervous. Good thing that the teacher sent a note home that says each child can bring something from home to make the transition a little easier. But the teacher didn't bet on a child bringing something--or someone--as big as Clifford


 

In the tradition of School’s First Day of School, debut author Keith Calabrese and Pura Belpré Award winner Juana Medina share a sweet, universal story about a clever little girl whose shoes are nervous about the first day of school.

Today is a big day! Today, Lena starts kindergarten. She is very excited. But there’s just one problem…

Lena’s shoes are nervous.

Lena doesn’t want to miss out on her first day of school, but she can’t go without her favorite shoes! How can she convince them to be brave?

Dewdney's beloved, bestselling picture book series is now a Netflix original animated series! This charming title introduces Llama, his Mama, and all of their friends who appear on the show. Full color. 10 x 10.