The arrival of August means summer is more than halfway over, with so little time to squeeze in some last-minute vacation fun. The start of school brings both happiness and dread. For students, it means they will get to see friends they haven’t seen all summer, but it also means the beginning of all that schoolwork. For parents, things will be a little quieter around the house, but it also brings some sadness if it’s the little ones headed off to school for the first time.
For parents and children, there are some great things you can do to ease the transition. For parents of the youngster going to school for the first time, you can read some books together that will help them get ready. The kids will be super excited for a new adventure, and you will know that you are sending them off well-prepared. Older children can read books about the challenges that other kids have faced starting at a new school or just learning how to make every day at school matter. Here are some books and graphic novels for every age group to help them through the last days of summer before school starts again.
- Pippi’s Unforgettable First Day of School by Brittany Anderson (author), Kate Hubaidulina (illustrator)
Pippi is all ready for her first day of school — her backpack is filled with all the things she thinks she needs, and she is brimming with excitement. But when things don’t go like she planned, is she able to adjust — or will she just plunk down and give up? This beautiful book shows that useful lessons can be learned just from dealing with everyday life at school. - Kindergarten, Here I Come! by D.J. Steinberg (author), Mark Chambers (illustrator)
This picture book (with stickers!) is a wonderful way to introduce the rising kindergartener to everything about school — first-day jitters, class parties, meeting new people, and all those new but fun things about school. The author uses poetry and rhyming along with beautiful pictures to help prepare the child. - Surviving High School: A Novel by Lele Pons and Melissa de la Cruz
Internet superstar Lele Pons gets together with bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz to write this funny and lovable novel about the ups and downs of high school. Teenager Lele Pons is an internet celebrity and has 10 million followers. When she goes to a new high school, will her good looks and winning personality win her a whole new group of friends? Or will she face a daunting set of challenges — the novel’s blurb reads, “the relentless drama, the ruthless cliques, the unexpected internet celebrity,” a new crush — all while trying to keep her grades up and make her parents proud? High school can be hard, and this heartwarming story will help teenagers see they are not alone in facing challenges in their lives. - Wonderby R. J. Palacio
Diversity can come in many forms. Going to a new school is hard enough, but if you have any kind of physical difference, it can be devastating. August Pullman’s face is deformed by a congenital condition that has resulted in his never going to a mainstream school until the 5th grade. He just wants to be an ordinary kid, but the other students can’t see beyond his different face. Told from various points of view — Auggie, “his classmates, his sister, and her boyfriend,” the novel’s Amazon blurb reads — these perspectives give us a view of the “community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance. In a world” with an epidemic of bullying, can this story of a child with visible differences teach more about kindness and caring? This book inspired the Choose Kind movement, a movie, and a stunning graphic novel. - Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson (author), E. B. Lewis (illustrator)
Winner of a Coretta Scott King Honor and the Jane Addams Peace Award!
“Be kind” was my mantra with my own children and I try to remember this every day, even now. This book has a powerful anti-bullying message for children, reinforced with amazing art. When new student Maya arrives at Chloe’s school, the girls ignore her. The snubs hurt and, after a while, Maya stops going to school. Their “teacher gives a lesson about how small acts of kindness can change the world,” the book’s Amazon description reads. Will Chloe and her friends take this lesson to heart and realize “how much better it could be if they had shown a little kindness toward Maya”? - New Kid by Jerry Craft
Winner of the Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Author Award, and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature.
Jordan is going into 7th grade with a dream of going to art school. Instead, his parents send him to an elite private school where he is one of just a few students of color in his whole class. While navigating between his own neighborhood and the upscale private school, Jordan feels like he no longer fits in anywhere. This middle school graphic novel is a wonderful choice for tween readers as they navigate their own new feelings. - New School, New Friends: Aydin’s Mindset Matters by Eiman S. Altahif
Aydin is going to a new school, and he worries that he won’t be able to make new friends. His older sister, always caring for Aydin, explains that he can do it. He can learn new things, meet new friends, and become resilient. Still, Aydin wonders, “Can I?” This sweet book shows that if we put our mind to it, we can overcome the struggles we face in new situations.
These books are aimed at preschool to high school students, but I found myself so touched by the various messages they shared. This is one of the joys of reading books to kids, but also to yourself.
Read CityView Magazine’s “Back to School” August 2024 e-edition here.