It’s that time of year when back-to-school jitters creep up on all of us, young and old. Whether it’s our first time going off to school or not, sometimes we just need some “bibliotherapy” to help us all through the transitions. The following is a list of my favorite books to share with kids going to preschool, kindergarten and first grade. All of the books are available through the Old Colony Library Network and librarians all over the South Shore are happy to assist people in finding exactly what they want!
Preschool:
It’s Time for Preschool! by Esmae Raji Coddell
Will I Have a Friend? by Miriam Cohen
Maisy Goes to Preschool by Lucy Cousins
Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
Rosie Goes to Preschool by Karen Katz
What to Expect at Preschool by Heidi Eisenberg Murkoff
My Preschool by Anne Rockwell
Hurray for Pre-k! by Ellen Senisi
Dinosaur vs. School by Bob Shea
Preschool Day Hooray! By Linda Leopold Strauss
Ming Goes to School by Deirdre Sullivan
The Night Before Preschool by Natasha Wing
Kindergarten:
I’m not Ready by Jonathan Allen
The Class by Boni Ashburn
Monsters Love School by Mike Austin
Monkey: Not Ready for Kindergarten by Marc Brown
Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten by Toni Buzzeo
It’s Your First Day of School, Annie Claire by Nancy Carlstrom
Off to Kindergarten by Tony Johnston
Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London
Countdown to Kindergarten by Alison McGhee
Kindergarten Diary by Antoinette Portis
Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell
Tiptoe into Kindergarten by Jacqueline Rogers
Planet Kindergarten by Sue Ganz-Schmidt
The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing
Bear’s Big Day by Salina Yoon
Mom, it’s My First Day of Kindergarten! By Hyewon Yum
First Grade:
The Berenstain Bears Get Ready for School by Mike Berenstain
First Grade, Here I Come by Nancy Carlson
Hello, My Name is Tiger by Jennifer P. Goldfinger
Mission: Back to School: Top Secret Information by Susan Hood
Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin
A Pirate’s Guide to First Grade by James Preller
Louise the Big Cheese and the Back-to-School Smarty-Pants by Elise Primavera
First Grade Jitters by Robert Quackenbush
My Teacher by James Ransome
School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex
The Night Before First Grade by Natasha Wing
For Parents:
The Parent Backpack for Kindergarten through Grade 5: How to Support Your Child's Education, End Homework Meltdowns, and Build Parent-Teacher Connections by M. Nichols
For additional titles and books for older readers, the Horn Book Magazine offers an excellent list here: www.hbook.com/2013/08/choosing-books/recommended-books/back-to-school-reading/
Ann Lattinville is the Head of Children's Services for the Scituate Town Library. To learn more about the Scituate Town Library please visit them online at www.scituatetownlibrary.org or visit their temporary location at 44 Jericho Road, Scituate, MA.
Ann Lattinville is the Head of Children's Services for the Scituate Town Library. To learn more about the Scituate Town Library please visit them online at www.scituatetownlibrary.org or visit their temporary location at 44 Jericho Road, Scituate, MA.
