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Back to School (Kids)

Whether you have first day jitters or back-to-school excitement, you will fit right in with these picture books for kids.

Clover Kitty goes to kittygarten by Laura Purdie Salas

Feeling very nervous about starting kittygarten, Clover Kitty, a little cat with a sensory-sensitive disorder, finds her new classroom intimidatingly loud, bright and crowded, before a classmate's offer of friendship encourages Clover to give school another chance.

I got the school spirit by Connie Schofield-Morrison

As a new school year begins, a young girl is filled with school spirit as she zips her book bag shut, rides the bus, enjoys her classes, and eagerly anticipates the next day.

S is for school by Andrea Posner-Sanchez

Lift and peek under fun flaps as your spend a day at school with Elmo and his friends!

All welcome here by James Preller

A picture book collection of haiku poems celebrates the first day of school and all of its excitement, challenges, and anxieties, while multimedia paintings and collages by the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator of The Noisy Paintbox depict diverse characters navigating relatable first day experiences.

First day critter jitters by Jory John

Young animal students attending their first day of school navigate nervousness, apprehension, and a tendency to hop around before meeting their armadillo teacher, who is just as nervous as they are.

Bunny's Book Club goes to school by Annie Silvestro

Bunny's human friend, Josie, is nervous about starting a new school so he and his Book Club friends pay her a surprise visit--once they get past the distractions.

Sorry, grown-ups, you can't go to school! by Christina Geist

Lady and Buddy must insist that school is only for children and teachers when their parents, grandparents, and even a dog get excited about joining them for games, stories, and experiments.

Clothesline clues to the first day of school by Kathryn Heling

Catchy rhymes and visual cues introduce young readers to the people they'll encounter as they embark on their first day of school.

Pete the Kitty's first day of preschool by Eric creator Litwin

Pete the Kitty has his first day of preschool, where he meets the teacher, sings fun songs, and paints a picture.

Pout-Pout Fish : back to school by Deborah Diesen

When Mr. Fish returns to school as a substitute kindergarten teacher, he befriends a new little fry who is as nervous as he is.

Even monsters go to school by Lisa Wheeler

Illustrations and rhyming text describe some of the things that monsters do to get ready for school as well as the activities they enjoy during the day.

The school book by Todd Parr

"Todd Parr introduces readers to all the things they can do at school"--

Lola goes to school by Anna McQuinn

Lola meets new friends and tries many new things on her fun but exhausting first day of school.

I will be fierce! by Bea Birdsong

A young girl turns her typical day at school into a quest where she is a brave explorer.

The pigeon has to go to school! by Mo Willems

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.

The King of Kindergarten by Derrick D Barnes

Instilled with confidence by his parents, a young boy has a great first day of kindergarten.

Hello school! by Priscilla Burris

"Children have fun at school experiencing familiar classroom activities for the first time"--

Lena's shoes are nervous : a first-day-of-school dilemma by Keith Calabrese

Lena is excited about starting kindergarten but her favorite shoes are not until, with the help of her father and a very special headband, she convinces the shoes--and herself--to be brave.

Ready or not, Woolbur goes to school by Leslie Helakoski

Tomorrow is Woolbur's first day of school. Woolbur can fix his own wool, write his name, and color outside the lines. And most important, he never follows the crowd. Woolbur is ready for school, but is school ready for Woolbur?

ABC ready for school : an alphabet of social skills by Celeste Delaney

"C is for cooperate. G is for grow. P is for play! This friendly and reassuring alphabet book helps young children (and those who care for them) consider, explore, and discuss a wide range of skills related to school readiness. Kids preparing for kindergarten or preK will learn social skills from A to Z, building or reinforcing their knowledge of the alphabet at the same time. Charming art brings the skills to life with encouraging scenes of fun and learning in the classroom, on the playground, and more.A special section for adults presents ideas for helping children get ready for this big change and have a successful start to school"--

All are welcome by Alexandra Penfold

Illustrations and simple, rhyming text introduce a school where diversity is celebrated and songs, stories, and talents are shared.

It's your first day of school, Busy Bus! by Jody Jensen Shaffer

"Today is the very first day of school! Busy Bus is excited, but he also has some first-day jitters. Luckily, bus driver Ben knows just what to do to make sure that the school year gets off to a great start"--

Fall is for school by Robert Neubecker

"Two seasonally-opposed siblings face the end of summer with both joy and dread. But as Sister shares her enthusiasm for fall, school, and everything they encompass, Brother's own excitement grows in this celebratory picturebook"--

Bear's big day by Salina Yoon

Bear, feeling very grown-up, says goodbye to his stuffed rabbit, Floppy, and starts his first day of school but soon he is missing Floppy and worrying that he is not ready to be a big bear, after all.

How to get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagan

Explains how to help your teacher get ready for events in the school year.

The class by Boni Ashburn

"Twenty young students, some eager, some nervous, some grumpy, prepare for their very first day of kindergarten"--

It's the first day of kindergarten, Chloe Zoe! by Jane Smith

Wondering if kindergarten will be as fun as preschool, Chloe Zoe gears up with a new backpack and lunch box before discovering that her friend, Mary Margaret, is in a different class.

Sophie's squash go to school by Pat Zietlow Miller

On her very first day of school, Sophie is reluctant to make friends with the other children, preferring to play with two squash she grew in her garden--but when a particularly persistent boy named Steven gives her a packet of seeds as an apology for accidentally ripping her picture, she realizes that it just takes time to grow a friend.

School's first day of school by Adam Rex

"It's the first day of school at Frederick Douglass Elementary and everyone's just a little bit nervous, especially the school itself"--

Ming goes to school by Deirdre Sullivan

Ming goes to preschool, where she bravely plays all kinds of games with new friends and old, but she is still not quite ready for the big red slide.

Kindergarten is cool! by Linda Elovitz Marshall

Rhyming text describes the activities a child experiences on the first day of kindergarten

My first day by Leilani Sparrow

Rhyming text and colorful illustrations invite readers to follow a little bear as he experiences all the firsts that a first day of school brings, including his first story, his first friend, and his first school snack

Rosie goes to preschool by Karen Katz

Rosie, a helpful preschooler, offers advice to children facing their first day of preschool.

If you ever want to bring an alligator to school, don't! by Elise Parsley

A child provides insights, based on personal experience, into everything that can go wrong if one brings an alligator to school for show-and-tell.

Ally-saurus & the first day of school by Rich Torrey

Setting off for her first day at school, Ally, a little girl with a dinosaur's spirit, hopes she'll meet other dinosaur-mad children in class, but instead, she discovers her classmates have their own vivid imaginations and strong personalities.

Planet Kindergarten by Sue Ganz-Schmitt

A young child imagines going off to Kindergarten as a journey to another planet.

My new teacher and me! by Al Yankovic

On the first day of school, the imaginative and energetic Billy clashes with a somber new teacher who will not believe his fanciful tales

The pout-pout fish goes to school by Deborah Diesen

Mr. Fish recalls how, on his very first day of school, he anxiously went to one classroom after another watching students do things he could not, until Miss Hewitt showed him to the room that was right for beginners

The gingerbread man loose in the school by Laura Murray

A gingerbread man searches all over the school for the group of children that made him and then left him behind

Splat the cat : back to school, Splat! by Rob Scotton

"How can there be homework when it's only the first day of school? Splat must pick only one of all of his fun summer adventures to share with his classmates at show-and-tell. But in the end, Splat may find that the best part of his summer wasn't an adventure at all..."--p. [4] of cover

The night before preschool by Natasha Wing

In rhyming text based on "The Night Before Christmas," Billy is too nervous to sleep the night before he begins preschool, but a kind teacher and new friends fill the day with fun.

Recipient of the National Medal, the nation's highest honor for libraries.