It's August, and that means it's almost time for back to school. Whether this is your family's first time sending a child to school or you have the school year routine down pat, these books are great for exploring the emotions and anxieties that can arise for children during this time of year.
Little Troublemaker Defends Her Name by Luvvie Ajayi Jones; illus. by Joey Spiotto
A story about a little troublemaker with a big heart who must defend her name from a class bully. This funny, sweet story is dedicated to all the kids whose names might feel too different. It reminds us that our names are worth getting right and celebrating.
InvestiGators: Class Action by John Patrick Green
The InvestiGators are back… to school?! Mango and Brash have always been a class act but can these alligator detectives convincingly go undercover as average middle-school students?
First Day, Hooray! by June Sobel; illus. by Nabila Adani
There's a lot to check off on the back-to-school list. Lunchbox? Check. Notebook? Paper? Glue stick? Check. Check. Check. But school supplies aren't the only thing we bring with us. We also bring along our FEELINGS!! Follow along as a class of young children learns to identify and process the wide array of feelings they meet on the first day of school.
Llama Llama Loves His Teacher by Anna Dewdney; illus. by J.T. Morrow
Go through the school day with Llama Llama as he recalls all the things he learns, but more importantly, all the things he loves about his teacher!
Puffin and Penguin by Helaine Becker; illus. by Kevin Sylvester
After Puffin's family relocates, Puffin has to start over at a new school. Making friends has never been a problem, and being buddied with Penguin--the king of the school--will surely help! But Penguin is too busy to be a buddy, especially after being cast as the star in the school play. This early graphic novel by bestselling Canadian creators Helaine Becker and Kevin Sylvester is sure to entertain emerging readers with its humour, schoolyard drama, and heartwarming themes of belonging and friendship.
Monsters At School by Laura Baker; illus. by Nina Dzyvulska
Fluffy monsters, scruffy monsters, monsters on their way. Rucksack monsters, turn-back monsters, off to school today! Children will love this super-fun title packed with hilarious monsters on their first day of school!
Noah Frye Gets Crushed by Maggie Horne
Noah Frye just had the Best Summer Ever. Not only did she have an epic time at science camp, but her new camp friend Jessa is going to Noah's school in the fall. Noah can't wait to introduce Jessa to her best friends Zoey and Luna when classes start. But when the friend group is reunited after their summer apart, something seems to have changed: Zoey and Luna have discovered boys, and now it's all they want to obsess over. Suddenly, it feels like Noah is the odd one out in their friend group.
Sending your child to preschool or kindergarten for the first time? Explore more resources in our 2024 "Off to School!" post here.