Back To School Books: New 2022 Titles!

Fall is around the corner and that means so is school! Parents might be more excited about that than kids are, but either way it is always nice to have a stack of back-to-school books at the ready. This picture book list includes stories that can be a comfort to those who might be having some nervousness about the first day while others celebrate the happiness of getting to be back in action in the classroom!

All of them are brand-new, just released in 2022, and meant for children in preschool all the way to first grade and beyond. Each one is worth a read before heading back to the classroom.

The Little Bear by Nicola Killen
The night before the first day of school is here and Ollie isn’t sure if she is ready. But after a beautiful dream where she attends a sweet school in the forest, she is excited for her first day. This book is absolutely darling and just right for any preschoolers or kindergarteners getting ready for school to begin.

First Day Critter Jitters by Jory John and Liz Climo
If your kindergartener or first grader needs a good laugh about first-day jitters, this book is for them! Each critter has their own worries about school starting, like slow Sloth wondering if they will even make it in time. (Spoiler alert, they don’t. But never fear, Sloth’s friend snake gives Sloth a ride the next day.) Each creature gets to address their fear and finds out that even the teacher has worries about school too! They soon realize everything is all going to be okay, especially if they work together.

That’s Not My Name by Anoosha Syed
Mirha loves her name, which means happiness, but on her first day of school her teachers and classmates all seem to mispronounce it. They even ask if they can call her Maya because it’s easier, but Mirha doesn’t know how she feels about that, or even how to respond. After a talk with her mom, she is able to go back to school and help people learn how to pronounce her beautiful and special name.

Lunch From Home by Joshua David Stein and Jing Li (with contributions by Niki Russ Federman, Ray Garcia, Preeti Mistry, and Mina Park)
Most of the kids are bringing sandwiches to school for lunch, so when kids bring something like a burrito or gimbap, it seems strange. The other kids complain about how they smell or make fun of what they look like or how they are being eaten. Slowly, all the kids start to ask for sandwiches so as not to stand out in the lunchroom. But after a few days of boring sandwiches, one girl brings in her gimbap again and declares why she loves it. Then everyone else starts bringing their favorites again too until they are all eating what they love with pride. Based on the experiences of four acclaimed chefs and written by a former food critic, this book is all about enjoying the foods we love and being able to share how they are rooted in our home and culture. It can help give kids the confidence to bring in their favorite foods, no matter what anyone says, and is a good reminder not to yuck anyone’s yum.

Is This Your Class Pet? By Troy Cummings
Arfy, the reading buddy dog, notices that a turtle has stowed away in his official reading buddy vest after he visits a school so he sets out on a mission to return the turtle to her home in one of the classrooms. Arfy writes letters to different teachers and staff from the school, but no one knows where the turtle belongs. Until he video chats with Ms. Tortuga’s class, and the students rejoice over their found turtle! Such a fun and silly book that will get kids wishing they could have a class pet too.

Rick The Rock of Room 214 by Julie Falatko and Ruth Chan
Rick loves his home in Room 214, but he also longs to see the world that he hears about from the class and teacher. So when he gets a chance to escape to the playground, he takes it. But maybe outside isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and he starts to miss Room 214, and the kids miss him too! A cute and silly story about a class rock’s adventures that can make children see school from a different perspective.

Today I’m Strong by Nadiya Hussain and Ella Bailey
Most of the time, the little girl in this book loves school. Most of the time. But some days, another little girl named Molly is mean and takes her lunchtime treats, laughs at her, or blocks her from climbing on the jungle gym. But when our main character brings out the strength of her inner tiger, she finds that she can ignore Molly and climb right to the top of the jungle gym, and right back to loving school again. This simple story illustrates how to channel your inner strength and confidence to deal with all the bullies that might be trying to stand in your way.

Whatever book you choose to read before heading back to school, it can be helpful to give your children some space to talk about how they feel about the upcoming school year, whether it be to help them process their feelings or to rejoice together in their excitement!

What is your family’s favorite ritual around heading back to school?

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