Books to set up kids for successful first day
It doesn’t seem possible, but the start of the school year is just around the corner. The first day of school is exciting for many children, anxiety-inducing for others, and a mixture of emotions for most. Talking about what to expect with the start of school is helpful for children to work through their emotions and set them up for success on the first day. Reading a book with your child about going back to school can be a great entry point to start those conversations.
“Butterflies on the First Day of School” by Annie Silvestro, illustrated by Dream Chen. For weeks, Rosie has been excitedly preparing for the first day of school. She has her backpack, and has practiced raising her hand and saying her teacher’s name. But the night before the first day, Rosie starts to feel nervous. In the morning she has a stomachache and asks to stay home. Her parents explain she has butterflies in her belly and they will go away. As Rosie goes through her day, talking to new friends, talking to her teacher, and painting at the art table, Rosie’s butterflies leave her belly one by one. By the time she goes home she can’t wait to tell her mom about all the wonderful things at school.
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“First Day, Hooray!” by June Sobel, illustrated by Nabila Adani. As children come off the bus and head into school for the first day, some give a shout of joy, others remind themselves to “take a breath.” As children unpack their backpacks in the classroom, they also unpack their feelings. Happy is a soaring emotion, Worry is quiet. When Anger comes in, it’s time to take a timeout and “tame the flame.” The message of this book is that feelings are neither right nor wrong, it’s just a matter of knowing how to respond when emotions come up.
“And Then Comes School” by Tom Brenner, illustrated by Jen Hill. It’s the time of year when mornings are getting cooler, garden fruits and vegetables are ripening, and families are going through clothes to see what still fits. The first day of school is getting closer and closer! A family makes the first day of school special by picking out a favorite outfit, making a big breakfast, and taking pictures.
“Lena’s Shoes are Nervous” by Keith Calabrese and Juana Medina. It’s the first day of school and Lena is very excited. However, her shoes are not. Her shoes are nervous. They are her favorite shoes and she can’t start kindergarten without them! Lena’s dad tries to figure out a solution to make her shoes less nervous but Lena shoots down every suggestion. Finally, Lena sits down and listens to her shoes explain why they are nervous. After talking about their feelings, and being reassured that there have been many times when the shoes were brave, the shoes finally decide they can again be brave and go with Lena to school.
“The Worry Balloon” by Mónica Mancillas, illustrated by Betty C. Tang. Isla’s mind does a lot of worrying. With the start of school, her mind starts playing the “what if” game. What if Isla gets scared at school? What if no one likes her? Isla’s Mami suggests she put her worries in a big balloon in her mind and let them float away. Isla practices this throughout the day, taking in a deep breath, then blowing it out to blow away her worries. When she encounters scary things on her walk to school with Mami, she thinks about all the times she’s gotten through previous scary situations and that helps her be brave. Using these tools helps Isla quiet her mind and get through the day. This book has several pages of additional backmatter describing several additional strategies for managing worry.
