Fifty-One (51) Back-to-School Books
Looking for some good back-to-school book selections? We’ve compiled a list to help build community, develop listening comprehension and stamina, and get your year off to a great start. Titles are listed in alphabetical order and include links to Amazon as well as helpful lesson information. An * after the title means it’s a chapter book.
A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue by Julia Cook
A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech
Amelia Bedelia’s First Day of School by Herman Parish
And Here’s to You! by David Elliott (Book Look)
Bailey by Harry Bliss
The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes (Lit Lesson)
Clifford’s First School Day by Norman Bridwell
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson (Book Look)
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson (Lit Lesson)
First Day Jitters (Mrs. Hartwell’s Classroom Adventures) by Julie Danneberg
First Day, Hooray! by Nancy Poydar
Franklin Goes to School by Paulette Bourgeois
Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London
The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray
Going Places by Paul A. and Peter H. Reynolds (Book Look)
The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper (Book Look)
Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester
How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? by Jane Yolen
How to Be by Lisa Brown (Book Look)
How to Read a Story by Kate Messner
If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff
Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus* by Barbara Park
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn (Lit Lesson)
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes (Lit Lesson)
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I Don’t) by Barbara Bottner
Morris Goes to School by Bernard Wiseman
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires (Book Look)
Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little* by Peggy Gifford
Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth by Alison McGhee
My Teacher Sleeps in School by Leatie Weiss
My Name Is Yoon by Helen Recorvits (Brief Focus Lesson)
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
The New Girl . . . and Me by Jacqui Robbins
Only One You by Linda Kranz (Book Look)
Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin
The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School by Deborah Diesen
The Reader by Amy Hest (Book Look)
The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill (Lit Lesson)
Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathmann
School Bus Board Book by Donald Crews
Sideways Stories from Wayside School* by Louis Sachar
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
The Teacher from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler
This School Year Will Be the BEST! by Kay Winters
The Year of Billy Miller* by Kevin Henkes
Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes (Lit Lesson)
The First Week of School by Drew Beckmeyer
Did we miss a title that you love? Head to the Discussion Board and share your back-to-school favorite!
* *Click on the book for a link to read more about it on Amazon. If you make a purchase from the link we earn a small commission.