With the back to school season upon us, it only seemed fit to share my top 5 back to school books! With nearly a decade of experience in preschool education under my belt, most of these books are naturally preschool geared. If you are looking for elementary picture book reads, please send me a message! My Masters is in curriculum and children’s literature so I am glad I can use this blog to share my knowledge and sprinkle a little of that picture book magic!
1. Rosie Goes to Preschool by Karen Katz: If you are looking to introduce your child or students to what a day at preschool looks like, this is your book. This book will familiarize your child with the preschool environment and all of the exciting things preschool has to offer! This story will help calm any back to school jitters, or first time jitters for kiddos new to a school setting.
2. Friends by Daniela Sosa: So much of early learning is not just about pre-academics, but socialization. This book introduces young readers to the concept of friendship and all of the friends that await them at school. In the classroom, it can be used as a way to introduce an all about me theme. For years, I have been giving out these all about me posters at back to school night for children to fill out with families and bring back to school: https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/social-studies/social-emotional-character-development/all-about-me-posters-setof-30/p/GG688/
I know various stores have their own renditions, but I think the ones from Lakeshore are the best for the preschool age group. In my opinion, they are worth the drive to pick up at your nearest Lakeshore, since these large posters don’t ship.
Once school starts, have a show and share of posters so students can get to know their classroom friends! This activity will allow children to note similarities and differences between friends and make a point to say how all of these things are special. It is important to instill in children at an early age that one does not need to be just like someone else to be friends and communities are brighter with the uniqueness everyone brings to the table. Once students have a chance to share their posters, hang them up in the classroom or hallway so everyone can enjoy them!
Since these posters will include pictures of students’ families, try to incorporate the concept of families into classroom play. I have been using this set for years and the children I work with love it: https://www.learningresources.com/item-all-about-me-family-counterstm
3. Becoming Vanessa by Vanessa Brantley-Newton: This picture book is great to pair with decorating people paper templates. I love this pack from Dollar Tree since it features a variety of skin tones.
Becoming Vanessa talks about a little girl’s sense of style so encourage little ones to use their favorite colors and patterns. Have children decorate with crayons or markers and include wiggle eyes, yarn for hair, and perhaps even fabric pieces for clothing! Check out your nearest non-profit art center or craft supply store if in need of items. This story also talks about the beauty of names. Whether your students are pre-writers or at the writing stage, it is important to get students excited about their names and this book will definitely deliver!
4. The Night Before Preschool by Natasha Wing & art by Amy Wummer: This story is great for parents or caregivers to use the night before preschool starts. It should be a reassuring bedtime story before a little one’s first day of school. In the back of the book, there should be a list of other books from Natasha Wing’s night before series. She does a wonderful job of providing an inclusive list of important days, such as milestones and holidays.
5. Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen & illustrated by Sandie Sonke: This story would be best utilized by teachers on the first day or first week of school. It provides community building for a classroom environment. This story would pair nicely with reviewing or creating classroom rules and expectations. I see this book for preschool and early elementary classrooms.
I hope these books prove helpful! As always, happy reading, crafting, and playing!
Best,
Mrs. J.
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