Hi All!
Happy August! This is either an exciting time of setting up your classroom, or one month-long Sunday. Either way, I hope this book list helps you ease back into the swing of school. These books are great for those first 40 days where we are all setting expectations, classroom norms, and beginning to come together as a classroom community.
Remember to click the book covers to take you straight to Amazon!
“Gingerbread Man Loose in the School”, Laura Murray
A school-themed spin on this classic fairytale is a great way to start the school year! As the Gingerbread Man runs around the school looking for his class, I often draw comparisons from the school in the story to our own building. It is a fun story that helps students get excited about being in a new setting.
“Miss Bindergarten” series, Joseph Slate
From the first day to the last day, and every event in between, Miss Bindergarten has a kindergarten story to share. I consistently read “Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten” on the first day of school, as it covers the plethora of emotions and experiences students may be going through. I also love reading “Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day of Kindergarten” to make that oh-so-very-special-day uniquely celebratory. The whole series is worth adding to your kindergarten classroom library.
“The Kissing Hand”, Audrey Penn
To be honest, I was late discovering this book because I feared having the “kissing” conversation with my students from the get go (kissing...ew). But like most assumptions, mine was wrong and it allowed to me teaching without this book for years! But I have since changed my ways, and I now read this book every September. A sweet story about keeping loved ones close while we’re away at school, this is a well-loved regular in my classroom.
“Chrysanthemum”, Kevin Henkes
I. Adore. This. Story. Henkes’ sweet tale of a young mouse learning to love herself is what we all need to hear at some point in our lives, maybe when we are five… or thirty-five. But no matter your age, this book resonates. I use this book to teach about friendship, kindness, positive self-image, and transitioning to school. And once students become familiar with the story, it’s a great one to circle back to and have in-depth read alouds to discuss feelings and problem solving strategies.
“How do Dinosaurs” series, Jane Yolen
Another great series to add in its entirety to your classroom library, these are perfect books to introduce behavior expectations in school. I personally love “How do Dinosaurs Stay Safe” and “How to Dinosaurs Say I’m Mad” because they are applicable to many of the fundamental school expectations I teach early on. The illustrations are great for studying and the rhyming pattern is ideal for developing early phonemic awareness.
“My Mouth is a Volcano”, Julia Cook
Every year, I have that student who blurts out… continuously. And while I have to maintain some semblance of order in my classroom, I also hate to crush that kid’s ideas by shutting them down. Enter “My Mouth is a Volcano”, a lively story about a boy who cannot help but erupt with ideas! I love the way that Cook portrays the child, not as rude or insensitive, but as a child who is listening and thinking about all the things around him. I want students to share ideas and listen to others, and this book is a great tool in framing that behavior in a well-intentioned light.
“David Goes to School”, David Shannon
From the hilarious and thoughtful “No David” series, “David Goes to School” shows what happens when David does all those David-like things, but in the classroom. Synopsis: it’s not pretty. While I teach this in the beginning of the year to talk about expectations, I also use it later on to show what it sounds like to be told “no” over and over again. As a teacher who is always trying to be the teacher I needed for my students, this is a great book to read before having a conversation about constructive language and how to solve problems in a thoughtful way.