My Favorite Back to School Picture Books

As we approach the end of the summer, it’s time for me to dust off my bin of September "Back to School Books”. I love starting off the school year teaching my first graders about kindness, respect, rules and more!

Here are some of my go-to picture books read-alouds for back to school.

1) FIRST DAY JITTERS by Julie Danneberg and Judy Love

There is a spectrum of feelings that students usually have on the first day of school… excited, nervous, happy, scared… etc.

We follow the story of how one classmate’s anxious first day feelings influence her day. But which student could it be.. if it’s even a STUDENT at all? This surprise ending always has all the kids laughing.

2) PEANUT BUTTER AND CUPCAKE by Terry Border

The beginning of the year can be daunting for some students— it’s hard to make new friends! But if Peanut butter can make an unlikely friend—- CUPCAKE— so can anyone!

3) YOU GET WHAT YOU GET by Julie Glassman and Sarah Horne

I use this book to teach about BIG vs. small problems and the life lesson of dealing with disappointment.

4) DAVID GOES TO SCHOOL by David Shannon

Kids love to laugh at the silly things David does at school. This book is a great conversation starter for generating our own classroom rules.

5) WE DON’T EAT OUR CLASSMATES by Ryan T. Higgins

Poor Penelope Rex. She loves school and the delicious kids who go there! If only you were allowed to eat your classmates! Penelope learns a valuable lesson about friendship in this back to school favorite.

6) MISS NELSON IS MISSING by Harry Allard and James Marshall

This is a back-to-school classic. Just like DAVID GOES TO SCHOOL, I like to read this and then have my class generate a list of classroom expectations that we can all live by for the year.

7) THE PIGEON HAS TO GO TO SCHOOL by Mo Willems

Pigeon never expected school to be so fun!

8) PROPER BADGER WOULD NEVER TRASH THE CLASSROOM! by Lauren Glattly and Rob Sayegh Jr.

Would he?

9) HOW TO GET YOUR TEACHER READY by Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish

Teacher is not ready for school? Impossible! Students can build their confidence for school by helping their teacher.

10) OUR CLASS IS A FAMILY by Shannon Olsen and Sandie Sonke

This story reminds students that school is not JUST for learning information, but for recognizing how to care about other people and to build relationships based on respect and understanding, no matter what race, color, religion, size or gender we are— just like in our families at home.