Four Great Books for Back to School Season
Butterflies on the First Day of School by Annie Silvestro
Rosie can’t wait to start kindergarten—she’s had her pencils sharpened and her backpack ready for weeks. But suddenly, on the night before the big day, her tummy hurts. Rosie’s mom reassures her that it’s just butterflies in her belly, and she’ll feel better soon. Much to Rosie’s surprise, when she says hello to a new friend on the bus, a butterfly flies out of her mouth! As the day goes on, Rosie frees all her butterflies, and even helps another shy student let go of hers, too.
Why I Love It: I love the progression of this story. Rosie begins the day (and night before) very nervous about her first day of kindergarten, but she learns to let go of her butterflies by greeting and helping those around her. It’s a great lesson about the importance of connection. The story ends with the mother letting go of her own butterflies, too.
Questions to Ask While Reading:
Have you ever been excited or nervous about starting something new?
How do you think Rosie felt when she got on the bus in the morning?
How do you think she felt at the end of the day?
What kinds of things helped her have a great day day?
Can you think of anything you could do to help someone else who might feel nervous at school?
Favorite Quote:
“Wanna play?” she asked.
The girl nodded.
“I’m Rosie. What’s your name?”
“Isabella.”
As she answered, butterfly after butterfly soared into the sky.
The kindergators in Miss Harmony’s class work and play happily together, but Harry isn’t being a good classmate. He disrupts Friendly Circle, causes accidents, and upsets almost everyone in the class. Miss Harmony leads the class in helping Harry learn to respect personal space in this charming, funny, and relatable book.
Why I Love It: Every kindergarten class (and really every other class, too) has at least one student like Harry. It’s hard to be the one always getting in trouble, and it is equally hard to be the one trying to pay attention and do your best work when someone else is always distracting you with their behavior. This book gives everyone involved practical tips for making sure everyone has a great day at school.
Questions to Ask While Reading:
Has someone ever knocked over the thing you were working on? How did it make you feel?
Have you ever done something by accident that bothered a friend?
How can you respect people’s personal space at school?
What are some ways you can help someone who’s having trouble keeping their hands to themselves?
Favorite Quote:
“What do we use our hands for?”
*I love this quote because it always best to show kids the POSITIVE language of something they are struggling with. For example, if they are tackling other kids you can discuss when people should tackle (i.e. to protect others), if they are cutting everything in the house, you can talk about what people should cut (i.e. only paper unless you are a hair stylist or barber).
Grab your copy of this classic here.
Chrysanthemum thinks her name is absolutely perfect—until her first day of school. "You're named after a flower!" teases Victoria. "Let's smell her," says Jo. Chrysanthemum wilts. What will it take to make her blossom again?
Why I Love It: Chrysanthemum doesn’t hide from the fact that kids can be mean at school. This book is especially great for any child who feels like a bit of an outsider in their classroom. It teaches kids to embrace differences and to love themselves for who they are.
Questions to Ask While Reading:
Has anyone ever been mean to you at school?
Have you seen anyone be mean at school?
How did it make you feel? What did you do about it?
What is one thing you love about yourself?
How do you think we can help other people love themselves better? Does friendship help?
Favorite Quote:
“Chrysanthemum felt much better after her favorite dinner (macaroni and cheese with ketchup) and an evening filled with hugs and kisses and Parcheesi.”
Grab your copy here.
If you talk during story time, it’s no big deal…right? But what if everybody did that? What if everybody didn’t wash up, threw their trash on the ground, or didn’t listen when someone was speaking to them? The world would be a mess. But what if everybody obeyed the rules so that the world would become a better place? This book answers those questions in a funny, child-friendly way.
Why I Love It: This is a great book for the beginning of the school year because kids have new teachers and new classmates to learn to cooperate with. It illustrates clearly how each small choice that we make impacts others, and it’s a great reminder for adults at the same time.
Question to Ask While Reading:
What would happen if everyone in class did what they wanted instead of what the teacher asked them to?
What would happen if everyone tried to play with the same toy at the same time?
What would happen if everyone talked instead of listening to the speaker?
What would happen if everyone left their trash on the floor at the end of the day at school? What about at home?
What is one good choice you could make at school or at home that would help everyone?
What if everyone copied a choice they saw that they knew wasn’t right? (This is a great chance to discuss different people’s learning needs. One child might not be able to help calling out in class. How could everyone else help them learn to stay quiet?)
Favorite Quote
“I had something important to say. I just couldn’t wait.”
And the librarian said, “What if everybody did that?”
Grab your copy here.
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