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in Blog on September 6, 2021 by Katherine DeVries

Our Favorite Picture Books For Little Ones Starting School

By Sandy Hsu | @hopefulsmiles

It’s a day that’s been deferred, postponed, and delayed again and again. Let’s wait and see, we said at the beginning of the pandemic. The year came and went.

And now, unbelievably, the time has finally come: my daughter is starting school. 

I take a few deep breaths. After a year of homeschooling, my four-year-old will begin pre-k in the fall for a full five days a week. It’s going to be a big adjustment, for both of us. 

Is she ready? I wonder. I certainly am. Mostly. I think. 

On the one hand, we are definitely ready to trade the emotional roller coaster of the past year for something more like a school bus—shows up at the same time every day, and we know where we’re headed. Yet, after a year of spending so much time at home together and feeling a little rusty on the social front,  getting into a new routine of going to school comes with its own set of big feelings and challenges

Books and reading are a shared passion for my daughter and me, so we’ve been preparing for the start of this new chapter by reading stories about school. It’s been a great way to help her know what to expect, familiarize her with the rhythm of a school day, and talk about what she is looking forward to and what she may be nervous about.

Here are a few of our favorites:

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

This heartwarming story of little Chester Raccoon’s mother giving him a kiss on the hand to remind Chester of her love when he goes to school was new to me, but I could immediately see why it’s become a classic. This beloved story hits all the right chords—tugging on the heartstrings of mamas sending their babies off to school and sweet reassurance for children that they are loved wherever they go.

Hello School! by Priscilla Burris

I love the gentle simplicity of this book. Hello School! gives a cheerful overview of what a day at school is like with short sentences, simple dialogue, and refreshingly uncluttered illustrations. It’s easy for little ones to understand and is great for helping a child starting preschool know what to expect.

First Day Critter Jitters by Jory John, illustrated by Liz Climo

I’ve been a fan of Liz Climo’s adorable animal webcomics long before I knew she also illustrated children’s books. Her endearing animal characters always put a smile on my face, and this book was no different! The animals in First Day Critter Jitters all have different reasons why they are nervous about going to school but when they each discover that they are not the only ones feeling anxious, they learn to help each other out. Super cute, witty, and so much fun!

A Little Bit Brave by Nicola Kinnear

This is such a lovely book about bravery, trying new things, and friendship. Logan the stay-at-home bunny takes a leap into the unknown in search of his friend Luna and pulls off a courageous rescue. My daughter enjoyed the artful illustrations and the story has all the charm of a well-loved folktale.

School’s First Day of School
by Adam Rex

In this fun twist on a first day of school story, a new school building personifies all of the big feelings and worries that a child may have about starting school. It’s an amusing role-reversal and the colorful childlike illustrations had a wonderfully nostalgic feel.

Lena’s Shoes are Nervous: A First-Day-of-School Dilemma by Keith Calabres

This playful story of Lena, a little girl who is excited to start kindergarten but must first convince her nervous pair of shoes to be brave, puts a clever spin on the first-day-of-school jitters that gives children a sense of agency. I especially appreciated that Lena’s dad offers helpful suggestions in the story while also encouraging Lena to problem-solve on her own.

The King of Kindergarten
by Derrick Barnes

Embark on the royal grand adventure that is the first day of school through the eyes of a joyful boy starting kindergarten! We loved this clever tale of reimagining the school bus as a yellow carriage, the school as a grand fortress, and our little hero displaying his bravery on the playground. Now my daughter can’t wait to be the princess of preschool! (By the way, I can’t believe that “The Princess of Preschool” isn’t an actual book. I really think I’m on to something here…)

Also worth an honorable mention are books with familiar characters. Reading about a favorite character going to school can be especially comforting for little ones as they navigate this big milestone. Some great ones are: Daniel Tiger Goes to School, Clifford Goes to Kindergarten, The Berenstain Bears Go to School, and Curious George’s First Day of School.

—

At the end of the day, as I pick up books off the couch and floor and return them to the shelf, the words from these stories echo in my mind:

I hope she will be brave like Logan the bunny.

I hope she will feel loved like Chester the raccoon.

She may feel jitters (as will I), but so does everyone else so it’s going to be ok.

I hope she’ll remember that even when she feels like the smallest girl in the smallest grade she can still make a big difference.

I’ll remember to give her a little space if her shoes are feeling nervous.

I hope she will make new friends, like her teacher, be royally kind, and enjoy learning.

And I’m sure that soon, she will be coming home from school with her very own stories to tell.

Sandy Hsu | @hopefulsmiles

Sandy is a wife, mother of two, and scientist-turned-writer living in Los Angeles, California. When she’s not reading to her girls, cleaning up mealtime messes, or struggling to keep up with the laundry, Sandy enjoys writing, painting, and planning travel adventures with her family. A lover of good stories and thought-provoking conversations, Sandy strives to find joy and beauty in the midst of the daily grind and hopes to encourage other moms to do the same.

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: back to school, books, preschoolers, school

About Katherine DeVries

Katherine is a stay-at-home-mom to three kids. She and her husband are originally from the Midwest but now reside in sunny, Southern California. Before taking time off last year, she spent 10 years teaching middle school English in public and charter schools throughout the Los Angeles area. She has a passion for literature (of both the children and adult varieties) which she shares on her personal blog, The Paper Dart.

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#stayathomemom #preschoolers #summermomlife #arizonasummer #summerschedulefortoddlers #summerscheduledforpreschoolers #samplesummerschedule #summerdaysathom
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Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

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Math Quiz: If 3 kids dirty an average of 15 dishes Math Quiz: If 3 kids dirty an average of 15 dishes per day while away at school 7 hours per day, how many additional dishes will they dirty while home all day for summer break?

67. The answer is 67. Yes, I’ve checked my work! Maybe someone who passed calculus can explain? 🤪 -M

#mommath #drowningindishes #summerbreakisnotreallyabreak
Happy weekend - and a big thanks to our June spons Happy weekend - and a big thanks to our June sponsors! Every month, we like to take a little time to shoutout our partners who help support the show + remind our listeners of some of the great deals our sponsors are offering. For more info, specific promo codes, and links, just search the brand name on our website, and they'll pop up in our episode show notes. We also collect ALL our active promo codes (even the old ones that are still working!) in our email newsletter - which is full of other great things we want to share with you, too. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to subscribe today. 

Meet our NEW partners this month . . .
🗣️ @connectspeech (early language support!)
💙 @appahealth (1st month of mentorship free!)
💄 @thrivecausemetics (15% off your 1st order)

And welcome back to . . .
⭐️ @paireyewear (15% off your 1st purchase!)
⭐️ @autoapprove ($100 when you refinance!)
⭐️ @outschool ($15 off your child's 1st class!)
⭐️ @mindandchild ($20 off Parenting 101 course!)
⭐️ @flowkey_com (20% off subscription piano app!)
⭐️ @stitchfix ($20 off your 1st purchase!)
⭐️ @publicgoods ($15 off, no minimum!)
⭐️ @scholasticinc (books for kids of all ages!)
⭐️ @hiyahealth (50% off 1st order!)
⭐️ @kiwico_inc (30% off your 1st mo!)
⭐️ @ritual (10% off 1st 3 mo!)
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⭐️ @vionicshoes (free shipping on cute shoes!)
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Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts #travelingwoes #travelingwithkids #familytravelmishaps
New on the blog this week from @kiamhammond: Learn New on the blog this week from @kiamhammond: Learning About Juneteenth, As A Family.

"Like many families, mine is still figuring out how to teach our children about Juneteenth, as learning the history wasn't part of my education or my husband's when we were kids. The good news is, books written for children and families are a great way for the whole family to learn (and there are a lot of them!)."

Click this image at the link in our bio to read Kia’s book recommendations and more ways to start the conversation at home with your family.

#juneteenth #history #blackhistory #parenting #juneteenthbooksforkids #summerreading
New episode! As moms, we can be hard on ourselves New episode!

As moms, we can be hard on ourselves…and sometimes we just need to hear the simplest, oft-repeated pieces of advice and encouragement to remind us that it is all going to be OK. Join Meagan and Sarah for a reflection on eight pieces of wisdom that have carried us through motherhood struggles at every age and stage. We are offering them to you, to ourselves, and to all of our future selves in Episode 369.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts #momtruisms #momtruths #parentingadvice #motherhoodstruggles
Just a “hello” from last-week-me, who spent 30 Just a “hello” from last-week-me, who spent 30 minutes moving 25 chickens by hand from their home to the new chicken yard, because they refused to go on their own. And then an hour moving them back, because same.

It reminded me a lot of mothering a toddler, and got me wondering: what’s the most ridiculous thing mom life has brought you in the past week? -M
New episode! Have you ever fantasized about atten New episode!

Have you ever fantasized about attending a camp-like environment for grown-ups? Much about the classic summer camp experience is appealing to us (though not EVERYTHING--we could certainly do without the bugs), and the idea of simply showing up for a perfectly curated experience without any responsibility, or planning, sounds AMAZING. Listen to this fun More Than Mom to hear all of our must-have activities (like food and wine tastings, yoga, personal style consults and more!), things that would be a hard no (like swimming in the gross, murky lake or participating in corny, guided crafts) and our daydreams about creating a Mom Hour Retreat (maybe someday?)!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts #summercamps #womenretreats #momretreat
New on the blog this week from @jaymesherrod: LGBT New on the blog this week from @jaymesherrod: LGBTQ+ Resources For Parents (And Anyone Who Wants To Learn!). 

"The fact is, none of us will get it right every time. Not with each other, and certainly not with our kids. But it’s important that we keep showing up and having the conversations anyway."

Click this image at the link in our bio to access Jayme's roundup of resources.

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