Back to school is around the corner and it’s great to have some books with back to school themes so that kids can learn about going back to school and the different things they can experience around this time of year.
Many children deal with back to school so differently. They may be nervous, scared, excited, or worried. TV shows and books could be a huge help for children that need support adapting to changes in the world.
Believe it or not, kids learn to empathize first by relating to characters in books. A lot of what they experience as they grow up does happen in school, which is why back to school is such a sensitive topic this time of year.
That being said, here are 10 books that can help introduce back to school themes for your child or students.
1.My Teacher Dances on The Desk by Eugene Gagliano
Description
Penned by a former teacher, episodes from every aspect of school life, from visiting the school nurse to sitting next to the wrong student, are told through humorous verse. Black-and-white line drawings punctuate these reflections. (http://www.bookshop.org)
2. Ollie’s School Day – A Yes or No Story by Stephanie Calmenson
Description
Would you like to read an Ollie story? YES!From the very first line to the final page, Ollie’s School Day begs to be read aloud– and together.What will Ollie wear to school? A bathing suit? NO! A space suit? NO! A police officer’s uniform? NO! Will Ollie wear pants, a shirt, socks and shoes? YES!Call-and-response text in a simple pattern– three increasingly outlandish NO! options followed by a resounding YES!— model social skills and positive classroom behavior, pairing the subtle message with high-energy illustrations of Ollie’s ridiculous rejected options. Readers will be quick to catch on and shout out the next answer– if they can stop laughing, that is.Will kids love Ollie’s School Day? YES! (http://www.bookshop.org)
3.T is For Teachers – A School Alphabet Book by Steven L. Layne
Description
This school year promises “no more teachers’ dirty looks.” They’ll be too busy smiling and reading from the pages of T is for Teachers: A School Alphabet. From the first verse, teachers and their kids will have great fun learning from the behind-the-scenes look at one of the most important buildings any of us enter. T is for Teachers: A School Alphabet is a charming education on education. Crisp, clever text from the minds of Steven and Deborah Layne keep children engaged as they are taken on an educational tour of the one room school houses, the roles of custodians and principals, quizzes and more that lay between the covers. Quick rhymes engage the reader while fact-filled text expound of each letter’s topic. And no school tour would be complete without a stop in the art room. T is for Teachers’ art class features Doris Ettlinger busy painting yellow busses, red bricks and every page with great care and straight A’s. T is for Teachers: A School Alphabet is sure to find its way into the hands of students, parents and teachers alike. As a perfect introduction to the year ahead of a new student or as a great thank you to the teacher who makes a difference, this alphabet book will charm everyone who picks it up. T is for Teachers is a perfect complement to any classroom setting and proves once again that learning is indeed fun! (www.bookshop.org)
4.Back To School Mallory by Laurie Friedman
Description
Summer is over and that can only mean one thing for eight-year-old Mallory McDonald (like the restaurant, but no relation)–she has to go back to school. But not just any school, a new school with all new kids in it. To make matters worse, her mom is going, too! She’s the new music teacher, and Mallory can’t think of anything that could possibly be worse–until her first day. She has to sit with Pamela, who always says the right thing and steals her ideas. Joey is so busy with his old friends that he has no time for her, and to top it off, she’s picked to be an eggplant in the Fall Festival her mom is putting on. It’s not fair! What can Mallory do? Should she give Pamela, and her new school, another chance? (http://www.bookshop.org)
5.The Handkerchief Quilt by Carol Crane
Description
When a disastrous flood damages Parkland School, Miss Anderson, an elementary teacher, devises a way to raise money to help buy replacement books. (http://www.bookshop.org)
6.Field Trip Fiasco by Julie Danneberg
Description
Sarah Jane Hartwell is back with a whole new grade-school challenge: a class trip to the zoo.After the stress of her last attempt at taking her class on a field trip (seen in First Year Letters), Mrs. Hartwell has a plan for an upcoming trip to the zoo–a plan that includes lots and lots of rules. Armed with her foolproof field-trip tips, she’s determined that absolutely nothing will go wrong. Sure enough, her students prove that they can line up straight, walk quietly, and take plenty of notes–but everyone soon realizes that the hotly-anticipated trip is becoming a letdown. Can Mrs. Hartwell save the day from herself? (http://www.bookshop.org)
7.The Soda Bottle School by Laura Kutner
Description
The villagers had tried expanding the school, but the money ran out before the project was finished. No money meant no materials, and that meant no more room for the students. Then one person got a wonderful, crazy idea: Why not use soda bottles, which were readily available, to form the cores of the walls? Sometimes thinking outside the box–or inside the bottle–leads to the perfect solution. (http://www.bookshop.org)
8.Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by Joann Deak
Description
Did you know you can stretch and grow your own brain? Or that making mistakes is one of the best ways your brain learns? Awarded as one of the best growth mindset books for kids, Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: Stretch It, Shape It teaches all the ways that the brain can develop with exercise, just like the rest of our bodies. Educator and psychologist Dr. JoAnn Deak offers a fun and engaging introduction to the anatomy and functions of the brain that will empower each young reader to S-T-R-E-T-C-H and grow their fantastic, elastic brain! (http://www.bookshop.org)
9.The Girl Who Hated Books by Manjusha Pawagi
Description
In Meena’s house, there are books everywhere. There are books in dressers and drawers and desks, in closets and cupboards and chests. There are books on the sofa, and even books on the stairs. The problem is, Meena hates all of them, as does her cat Max, who has to climb over them. One day, Meena tries to rescue Max and the books come crashing down, freeing a wonderland of characters and animals who take Meena on a fanciful and funny romp through the magic of reading. To her parents’ delight, Meena finally sees what an amazing thing a book can be. (http://www.bookshop.org)
10.Back to School with the Berenstain Bears by Stan Berenstain
Description
2 classic Berenstain Bears school stories in 1 book!Head off to school with two bestselling Berenstain Bears stories in one book! Featuring The Berenstain Bears Go to School and The Berenstain Bears’ Report Card Trouble, this full-color storybook is the perfect back-to-school addition to your Berenstain Bears collection.Go to School Sister is nervous about starting school, so Mama takes her to meet the teacher. Finally, she’s eager to go with Brother on the first day to begin her school adventure.Report Card Trouble
Brother’s involvement in school sports causes his grades to drop. After they ground him, Mama and Papa realize that supervising and supporting him is a far more constructive strategy.
What’s your favorite back to school book? Comment down below. *
Abundance of Jules 