Helpful First Day of School Books for Kindergarten and Preschool

Helpful First Day of School Books for Kindergarten and Preschool

Your child’s first experiences at school can be exciting, scary, anxiety-provoking, or a mix of all of the above. The list of first day of school books below can help you introduce the idea of school to a young child.

Why Books Can Help With The First Day of School

Heading off to school for the very first time is an exciting but scary idea for most kids. Many may be leaving their parents for the first time. New schools mean new rules, new friends, and new worries.

I’ve always found that the easiest way to explain new situations to my own kids is through reading about them in books.

The books below help to tackle different ideas – missing mom, anxiety about meeting new people, or learning about what teachers do to get ready for school. These are the perfect stories for the first day of school.

Finding the Perfect First Day of School Book for Your Child

There are sections for the first day of preschool books and the first day of kindergarten books. These books have characters headed into those specific classes so your child can experience school through the eyes of a character like them.

You’ll also find general books for the first day of school that are not grade-specific. These books might help you address feelings and new experiences with your child.

For more School-related books and book lists, Click here.

First Day of Preschool Books 

pout pout fish

The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School by Deborah Diesen

Mr. Fish can’t figure out where to go, he can’t figure out how to write and he can’t figure out how to draw. He doesn’t think he belongs or is smart enough so his frown comes out as he thinks he wouldn’t ever get it right.

Finally, his teacher comes out to find him and she tells him he IS smart, he WILL get it, he DOES belong. This is ab adorable first day of school book.

llama llama misses mama

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney

It’s Llama Llama’s first day of preschool and he is overwhelmed with feelings. He is trying to get used to the new toys and new surroundings but he just misses his mama.

Soon he learns that it’s OK to love Mama and have fun at school too. This is a very sweet pick from first day of school books.

Looking for more Llama Llama books? Check out this post of our favorites!

51Vvlvt9LoL. SY418 BO1204203200


Maisy Goes to Preschool by Lucy Cousins

In my house, Maisy was a much-loved character. If your child is starting preschool at ages 2 or 3, this is the perfect book for you.

Maisy’s easy sentences, bright colors, and brevity make it perfect for younger kiddos to learn the concept of school. If you are looking for a first day of preschool book, this is a very sweet pick.

wemberly worried

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes

Wemberly worries all the time, but she is especially worried about school. This story tackles the difficult topic of children with anxiety.

This was particularly helpful for my oldest child who has some anxiety in day-to-day situations but a lot of anxiety in new situations. He could relate to Wemberly and her feelings which opened a nice discussion for us. This is a perfect pick from first day of preschool books.

First Day of School Books for Kindergarten

Miss Bindergarten and other alphabet books

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate

Using the letters of the alphabet, we meet each kid in the class as they get ready for school.

We see Miss Bindergarten get ready for school by cleaning, organizing, and decorating her classroom. If you are looking for first day of school books for kindergarten, this is a really cute choice.

The King of Kindergarten

The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes

After his parents call him the King of Kindergarten, a young boy experiences his first day of school in his new “kingdom.”

Sharing, learning, and the joy of making new friends are all explored in his sweet tale. This adorable pick from first day of school books it so uplifting.

the berenstain bears go to school by stan berenstain

The Berenstain Bears Go To School  by Stan Berenstain

The beloved Berenstain Bears are back at it and tackling a new issue as only they can. Sister Bear is off to school for the first time.

I like that this story tackles the bus ride too – that can be very nerve-racking for some children. The Berenstain Bears have been helping kids for YEARS and this first day of school book is no exception

More Books for The First Day of School 

We dont eat our classmates

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

This hysterical story is all about a young dinosaur who has trouble making friends because she can’t stop eating them!

It’s silly and funny especially a goldfish take a bite out of her little dinosaur finger. A little taste of her own medicine helps her learn her lesson. If you want a great laugh, this first day of school book should be your choice.

Schools First Day of School

School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex

This clever tale is written about School as he witnesses children and teachers using his facilities for the very first time.

He is a little nervous as some say they don’t want to be there, but he starts to learn what the children learn and laugh at the jokes they tell. We absolutely love this first day of school book and the lovely twist.

David Goes to school and other first day of school books


David Goes to School by David Shannon

Back with his antics, David shows all the things your little one should NOT do at school.

From cutting the lunch line, to not listening, this book is great for first timers to learn what the expectations are at school.

Try asking your little one if they know what David should be doing in each situation instead!

How do dinosaurs go to school and other first day of school books


How Do Dinosaurs Go to School by Jane Yolen

In true dinosaur fashion, this story teaches the rights and wrongs of good behavior at school. This is especially good for boys who are prone to acting up.

While Wemberly Worried was best for my oldest, this one was made for my youngest. 😉

The Pigeon Has to go to school and other first day of school books

The Pigeon HAS to Go to School by Mo Willems

The Pigeon is back at it again with this hilarious story about why Pigeon doesn’t want to go to school.

He knows everything already, right? So why exactly does he have to go?

The Kissing Hand and other first day of school books

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

Little Racoon is heading off to school for the first time but is worried that he won’t feel comfortable in his new surroundings.

Mrs. Racoon teaches him about the kissing hand so that he can have a piece of home in his heart wherever he goes. This is a must-read in my opinion.

First Day of School Books Featuring Beloved Characters

Perhaps all your little one needs is a book featuring their favorite character going off to school. If that sounds right, then check out one of these books below.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

3 Comments