5 Picture Books to Help Little Ones Ease Back to School

Here Comes Teacher Cat, by Deborah Underwood and Claudia Rueda 
If you’ve had the pleasure of reading any of Deborah Underwood’s other bestselling Cat books (like Here Comes The Tooth Fairy Cat), then you will surely enjoy this feline’s latest adventure. Cat has to become a substitute teacher for a classroom full of kittens, what could possibly go wrong? In the end of this adorable tale, everyone, including Cat, has learned a little something new.

Countdown to Kindergarten, by Harry Bliss and Alison McGhee
This book is perfect for any child who may have a little anxiety about starting kindergarten in the fall. It doesn’t help our jittery protagonist that she’s heard from a first grader that kindergarten has a lot of rules, like no cats or stuffed animals allowed! Worst of all, apparently you need to tie your shoes by yourself, a skill she hasn’t yet mastered. Luckily when she finally gets to school, it turns out she may have gotten some false information, and the teacher can help after all. Geez, all that worrying for nothing!

Dinosaur Starts School, by Pamela Duncan Edwards and Deborah Allwright 
Another book that may soothe some pre-school nerves is Dinosaur Starts School. You would think that dinosaurs aren’t afraid of anything, so it’s comforting to know that they even these ginormous creatures have some first day of school fear. (Although their fears are a bit different—like the size of the school building itself!) In a fun twist, it’s the young boy who is brave and eager to help dinosaur enjoy his school day.

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, by Kevin Henkes
I am always seeking out books with awesome female protagonists, and that’s one reason why I love this spunky mouse Lilly! How cool is it to have a character who LOVES school, and her enthusiasm is contagious. There’s a slight hiccup when her teacher Mr. Slinger takes away Lilly’s favorite purple plastic purse, but what results is a good lesson for everyone.

The Recess Queen, by Alexis O’Neill and Laura Huliska-Beith 
One of the more challenging parts of school that unfortunately touches us all at some point is bullying. It’s a subject that’s not easy to talk about, and this picture book written in verse is a great way to start the conversation. With a character named “Mean Jean” you know you’re in for some schoolyard trouble. What makes this book particularly interesting is that Alexis O’Neill makes sure to show Mean Jean as more than just a two-dimensional bully, and reveals the motivation behind her mean behavior when a new girl comes to school and becomes her friend. Perhaps this book will inspire some new friendships off the page as well!