Charmspring’s Back to School (and beyond!) Book List
Since new beginnings and big feelings often go hand in hand we’ve put together a guide of children’s books that will support your children and family throughout the first few months of the back to school transition. These books offer relatable characters, unique perspectives and lots of conversation starters!
Toddlers & Young Preschoolers
To support the separation process
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell & Patrick Benson
"I want my mommy!" Owl Babies is a touching story about three young owls who wake up one night to find their mother gone. What is she doing? When will she be back? They chat with and comfort each other until she returns. This story is a great tool for supporting the separation process on the first day of school, after a weekend or holiday or anytime it's feeling tough to say goodbye.
To emphasize the connection between home and school
Play Day School Day by Toni Yuly
Tomorrow is the first day of the new school year, and big sister Mona can’t wait to go back. “What do you do at school?” asks little brother Milo. In Play Day School Day, Mona recounts the many things that happen during the school day like riding the bus and playing with friends. As she does, Milo enacts them through outdoor, imaginative play. This book is a beautiful reminder that play can help us make sense of new things.
To prepare for new routines or a new setting
My Preschool is an inviting book that highlights the routines in a school day. Through the eyes of a young child we are guided through common activities in the day, tricky situations (like someone knocking over a block tower) and different emotions (like being sad to say goodbye to mama). This book helps familiarize children with school routines and is a great discussion tool to chat about parts of the day that feel uncertain or challenging.
To discuss social conflict and support problem-solving
Blocks tells a tale about two children navigating how to share. Ruby and Benji are each building happily with their own color of block until Benji decides that he wants one of Ruby's red blocks. He grabs a block from her which leads to a conflict that ultimately causes both of their block towers to crash to the ground. When the blocks fall to the floor, the colors mix, and Ruby and Benji decide to build together using both colors.
To acknowledge school-related big feelings
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
The Rabbit Listened is our go-to book whenever a hard day happens. The story is about a child named Taylor who is feeling sad. Different animals come to give their advice and opinions about what Taylor should do but none of it helps. When the rabbit arrives, it simply listens, which is exactly what Taylor needs. This story is a beautiful way to show our children that we are by their side and, like the rabbit, there to listen.
To celebrate new friendship
Dress-Up Day is a simple, sweet story celebrating friendship and the courage to stand out. When a little girl misses school dress-up day because she's home sick she decides to wear her special costume the next day. When she gets to school the other children stare at her and she starts to feel self-conscious and unsure until a friend wearing his own special costume arrives. They start to play together and soon the other children join in.
Preschoolers & Kindergarteners (+ beyond!)
To celebrate what it means to belong to a school community
This is a School is a story that highlights all of the ways that school is more than just a building. School is a place for children to grow, discover and build community. The simple text and illustrations serve as a great tool for sparking conversation and help children see their school and the people in it in new ways.
To playfully acknowledge that school is a place for children, not their parents!
Never, not Ever! by Beatrice Alemagna
Never, not Ever! is a funny story about 5-year-old bat, Pascaline, who absolutely positively refuses to go to school. Her parents try to convince her that she will have a great time but she cries and shrieks. One scream is so loud that it shrinks her parents. Pascaline is pleased and decides to tuck her parents into her wings so they can stay with her at school all day. What happens next is a series of misadventures that make Pascaline realize she’d rather go to school all on her own tomorrow.
To encourage inclusivity and spark anti-bullying conversations
I walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët
I walk with Vanessa is a beautiful, thought provoking story told in only pictures. A little girl feels sad when she sees a classmate being bullied on the way home from school. She decides to do something about it and joins the other girl on the walk to school the next morning. Soon friends from the whole school community join in and they all walk together. This book is a great tool for helping children process tough situations and the lack of words invites conversation, interpretation and personalization.
To inspire family connection throughout the school year
Little Book of Joy: 365 Ways to Celebrate Every Day by Joanne Ruelos Diaz
A beautiful book to turn to throughout the school year, this book of joy is filled with fun ideas, facts and stories for every day. From learning about Earth Day to starting a rock collection to bird watching, we love building a family ritual around this book by reading a new page in the morning before school or in the afternoon during snack time each day.
