First Day of School Picture Books
The first day of school! The day parents look forward to all summer! But for kids the day can bring up anxiety. Will I have friends? Will my teacher be nice? Will it be interesting? Where is the bathroom?
Before my kid started sixth grade, the middle school offered a weeklong “camp.” I loved that the teachers and administrators put in this great effort to allow kids to get to know the building and people ahead of the first day.
If you don’t have the same luxury, there are a bunch of picture books that depict many aspects of the start of school, from the worries to the joy to the silliness. Happy reading!
Hurry, Little Tortoise, Time for School! by Carrie Finison and Erin Kraan (2022)
Tortoise wants to be on time for school, and she is moving as fast as she can go. But her classmates are all faster than she is. Cheetah even has time to go back home for something before Tortoise reaches the school. But her teacher Mr. Sloth understands and says that the effort is what matters. Though not openly about diverse abilities, this is a book that could be used to emphasize that everyone moves and learns in their own way.
Isabel and Her Colores Go to School by Alexandra Alessandri and Courtney Dawson (2021)
This bilingual book follows Spanish-speaking Isabel as she attends a school where English is spoken. For Isabel, the two languages exist in different color palates, and she prefers the pinks, yellows, and purples of Spanish. She is finally able to communicate and make connection through her drawings, and shares her language with a new friend. Color is key to the illustrations, and their vibrancy supports the text throughout.
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad, S.K. Ali, and Hatem Aly (2019)
Faizah’s sister is wearing a hijab for the first day of school. It fills them both with pride and belonging. But kids are school react strongly — some with questions and some with teasing. Faizah remembers what her mother had said about wearing hijab, that it’s more important to understand yourself than change someone else’s mind. The dreamy illustrations exude love and faith.
Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous: A First-Day-of-School Dilemma by Keith Calabrese and Juana Medina (2018)
Lena is psyched for the first day of kindergarten! Her favorite shoes, on the other hand, are super nervous. Lena and her dad try to sooth the shoes’ worries and at last they make it to school. The digital illustrations are sweet and joyful.
Chu’s First Day of School by Neil Gaiman and Adam Rex (2014)
Chu’s first day of school begins with each student sharing what they love to do. Chu’s classmates have great answers. When the chalk dust makes Chu sneeze — with hurricane-like force — the class is stunned then amused at what Chu loves to do. Rex has great fun with the drawing of the sneeze, which blows the roof off the school.
Monsters Love School by Mike Austin (2014)
Blue and his monster friends are getting ready for school. Blue is feeling nervous, but the rest of the crew assures the little monster that all will be great. The mixed media illustrations are vibrant and fun. I want to go to monster school!
Mom, It’s My First Day of Kindergarten by Hyewon Yum (2012)
Oh, I love this book! In a similar vein to Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous, here the student is positive about going to school, and the mom is the one with jitters. Wouldn’t this be great to role play with a kid who might be feeling uneasy about starting school? Mom is drawn small and blue when worried; the kid is full color and large. And when the kid does have a moment of nerves, the mom is able to reassure. Super sweet.
What Did You Do Today? The First Day of School by Toby Forward and Carol Thompson (2004)
This touching book, illustrated in watercolors, shows the parallel days of a kid and parent. They greet their classmates and colleagues, have snack, work on assignments, have lunch, and clean up. They think of each other throughout the day, with fondness not melancholy, and are happily reunited when the school day is done.
Moses Goes to School by Isaac Millman (2000)
Here’s another great book to support visibility of diverse abilities. Moses is deaf and attends a deaf school. The book teaches some American Sign Language (ASL) that the deaf characters use. I especially like the depiction of a letter written in ASL and then translated into English, which is a great way to convey that ASL is a full, unique language (and not just gestures representing English words).