Read Aloud for the First Day of School and High School

The first days weeks of school with students can truly gear up the stage for the entire yr. And read-aloud books are a perfect way to become to know each other, encourage class discussions and figure out which values will ascertain your class's identity. Hither are 41 of our favorite dorsum-to-schoolhouse books.

(But a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. Nosotros only recommend items our squad loves!)

1. Harry Versus the First 100 Days of School by Emily Jenkins (K-one)

An energetic, funny book that follows Harry through the commencement 100 days of first course—from name games to making friends to learning how to be a friend. Broken into curt chapters, this book is a fun way to start your starting time days of school.

Follow-up activity: Start a 100 link newspaper chain to marking your first 100 days together or effort one of these fun activities.

ii. The Circles All Effectually United states of america by Brad and Kristi Montague (Pre-1000-K)

When a child is born, their circle is very small-scale. As they abound, the circle effectually them grows to include family, friends and neighbors. This sweet story is perfect for back to schoolhouse to set up the tone for enlarging our circles to include new friends and experiences.

Follow-upwardly activeness: Watch the video, adorably narrated past the authors' children.

3. Main Tate is Running Late! by Henry Cole (Pre-One thousand-two)

When Master Tate is running tardily, the students, teachers, parents, and visitors at Hardy Elementary School must come up together to keep school running smoothly.

Follow-up activity: Try one (or more than) of these fun team-edifice activities with your students.

iv. Howdy Earth! by Kelly Corrigan (K-2)

Everywhere we go, we tin encounter interesting people who add value to our life. This charmingly illustrated book is a bang-up conversation starter to aid your students go to know one another.

Follow-up activity: Try 1 (or more than) of these icebreaker activities with your students.

v. A Letter from Your Teacher by Shannon Olsen (K-2)

In this heartwarming book, a teacher writes a dearest notation to her students. She shares all the things she is looking forward to and all the fun things they will share.

Follow-upwards activity: Ask students to turn to a friend and share what they are nearly looking forward to this school year.

6. Butterflies on the First Day of School by Annie Silvestro (K-three)

Rosie gets a new backpack and tin inappreciably wait for school to start. But the first morn, she'south not so sure. "You just have butterflies in your belly," her mom tells her.

Follow-up activity: Play a game of toss-around. Grade a circle and begin past telling your students how you lot are feeling virtually the new schoolhouse year. For example, "I was nervous, simply at present I'm excited." Toss the ball to a student so they tin can share how they're feeling. Play continues until every student who wants to has had a chance to participate.

7. The Magical All the same by Angela DiTerlizzi (1000-5)

An inspirational rhyming volume that teaches kids the power of "yet." Nosotros all have a lot to learn in life, and sometimes skills we wish we had are just there…withal. A book near perseverance and having faith in yourself.

Follow-up activeness: Ask students to write an entry in their periodical about something they are hoping to larn or go better at this year.

8. My WILD Kickoff Day of Schoolhouse by Dennis Matthew (K-3)

This humorous book by the author of Bello the Celloencourages kids to be brave, take a risk and endeavour something new.

Follow-upward activeness: Brainstorm a list of "what if" questions with your students. Tap into their hopes and wishes and ready the stage for an amazing year.

9. Well-nigh Marshmallows by Rowboat Watkins (K-5)

This quirky tale is all most marching to the beat of your own drummer. What would happen if you dreamed big?

Follow-up activity: Inquire students to write in their journals about what makes them unique.

10. If I Congenital a School by Chris Van Dusen (K-5)

Hover desks? Robo-chef in the cafeteria? Field trips to Mars? The master grapheme of this schoolhouse has some out-of-this-earth ideas about what his ideal schoolhouse would await like.

Follow-up action:  Ask students to describe a picture, with captions and explanations, showing what their perfect school would await like.

11. Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (Pre-K-3)

A young girl learns the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Eye Eastern names and returns to school, eager to share with her classmates.

Follow-upwards activity: Become around the circle and ask each student if in that location is a story behind their name.

12. Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen (Pre-G-three)

Prove your grade that they are a family unit, no affair whether they see for online or in-person learning.

Follow-up activeness: Have each student draw an image of their family unit and "extended family unit."

xiii. Tomorrow I'll Be Kind by Jessica Hische (Pre-Yard-ii)

Sometimes the smallest gesture of kindness goes a long style. This sweet book teaches young ones how to exist proficient friends and classmates.

Follow-up activity: Inquire students to share what is the most important thing virtually existence a good friend.

14. I Got the School Spirit by Connie Schofield-Morrison (Pre-K-i)

Students will beloved the rhythm and sounds in this book about back-to-school spirit. VROOM, VROOM! RING-A-DING!

Follow-upward activity: Inquire students to share the sounds they place with school!

fifteen. Waiting is Not Easy! by Mo Willems (Pre-1000-2)

When Gerald tells Piggie he has a surprise for him, Piggie tin can hardly wait. In fact, he has a hard time waiting all day! But when the sun goes downward, and the Galaxy fills the night sky, Piggie learns some things are worth the look.

Follow-up activeness: Ask your students to turn to a partner and share a time that you had to wait for something.

sixteen. Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Tin can't Get to Schoolhouse by Christina Geist (Pre-K-ii)

Perfect for the child who is feeling a little nervous almost going to school, this story features a family who doesn't want to be left behind.

Follow-up activity: Draw a picture of what school would look like if your mom and dad came to school with you.

17. The Dove Has to Become to School by Mo Willems (Pre-Chiliad–ii)

This silly picture book addresses many of the fears and anxieties that little ones feel every bit they get ready to become to school for the first time.

Follow-up action: This one volition get kids riled upwardly, so later reading have them stand up and shake their sillies out.

xviii. School's Start Mean solar day of School by Adam King and Christian Robinson (Yard–ii)

There are books well-nigh children, parents, and teachers being nervous for the beginning day of school. This ambrosial volume examines the first day of school from the perspective of the school itself.

Follow-upwards activeness: Project a photograph of your school onto the board as inspiration as kids draw and colour in their own image of schoolhouse.

19. Brown Carry Starts School by Sue Tarsky and Marina Aizen (Pre-Thou–K)

A brand-new book near sweet niggling Brown Deport and his worries about the start day of school. Presently he realizes he is more than capable than he thought.

Follow-upward activity: Have students turn and talk about i worry they had earlier schoolhouse started.

20. Pirates Don't Go to Kindergarten! past Lisa Robinson and Eda Kaban (Pre-1000–two)

Ahoy, mateys! Pirate Emma has a hard time transitioning from her beloved preschool captain to the new helm aboard the S.S. Kindergarten.

Follow-up activity: Ask students to share their favorite things about preschool, which you can record on a slice of chart newspaper. Equally you listing them, tell students something that volition be just as fun well-nigh kindergarten.

21. The Cool Bean by Jory John and Pete Oswald (K-four)

Once "peas in a pod," poor chickpea doesn't fit in with the other beans anymore. Despite having grown apart, the other beans are ever there to lend a hand when chickpea is in need.

Follow-up activeness: Ask students to write almost a friend they take grown apart from.

22. How to Read a Volume past Kwame Alexander and Melissa Sugariness (K–5)

A beautifully illustrated book nigh the miraculous pleasures of reading that will inspire the book lover in all of usa. I reader gushes, "Every folio is a wonder as the words and art melt into ane."

Follow-upwards activity: Ask students to write ane colorful sentence in praise of reading.

23. The King of Kindergarten past Derrick Barnes and Vanessa Brantley-Newton (Pre-1000–K)

The bubbly chief character of this sugariness story is bursting with excitement for the showtime day of schoolhouse. His confidence will be contagious for your new kindergartners.

Follow-upward activeness: Accept students plow to a neighbor and tell them the i thing they were most excited about on the beginning day of school.

24. The Mean solar day You Brainstorm by Jacqueline Woodson (K–three)

Starting fresh in a new environment, especially when you look around and think that nobody quite looks or sounds like y'all, can be scary. This lovely story will inspire your students to understand the gifts of individuality.

Follow-upward activity: Take your students play get-to-know-y'all bingo to detect out merely how much they accept in common with their classmates.

25. All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold (Pre-K–3)

A lovely story that celebrates diversity and inclusion in a school where everyone, no affair their apparel or skin color, is welcomed with open arms.

Follow-up action: Create an anchor chart of character traits. Brainstorm with your students all the ways they are akin and some of the ways they may be different.

26. We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins (Pre-K–G)

Piddling Penelope Rex is nervous most going to school for the first fourth dimension. She has some very important questions: What are my classmates going to exist like? Will they be dainty? How many teeth volition they have? Fiddling ones, even little humans, will relate to this charming story.

Follow-upward action: Ask your students to share some of the questions they wondered about before starting schoolhouse.

27. You're Finally Here! past Melanie Watt (Pre-Yard–2)

A perfect first read-aloud book to show your students how excited you are to finally meet them! Follow along with the main grapheme, Bunny, as he bounces through a hilarious range of emotions. All of your students volition recognize the back-to-school feelings below the surface of this silly, in-your-face story.

Follow-up activity: Accept students draw a cocky-portrait that shows the strongest emotion they felt coming into schoolhouse this year.

28. First Solar day Jitters by Julie Danneberg (K–3)

Everyone knows that sinking feeling in the pit of their stomach at the prospect of existence the newbie. Sarah Hartwell is scared and doesn't want to start over at a new school. Kids will honey the delightful surprise ending of this sugariness story!

Follow-up activity: Have students write about a time they were scared and how their state of affairs turned out! Or have students partner with a friend and tell their stories to each other.

29. The Proper noun Jar by Yangsook Choi (Pre-K–3)

When Unhei, a young Korean daughter, arrives at her new school in the U.s.a., she begins to wonder if she should besides choose a new name. Does she need an American name? How will she choose? And what should she do about her Korean name? This heartwarming story speaks to anyone who has always been the new kid or welcomed ane into their familiar surroundings.

Follow-up activity: Have groups of students brainstorm 10 dissimilar ways they could brand a new student feel welcome in class and create a poster to display.

30. The Exceptionally, Extraordinarily Ordinary First Day of School past Albert Lorenz (ii–4)

John is the new kid in school. When asked if the school is any different from his terminal 1, he weaves a wildly creative tale that captures the attending of his new classmates. A hilarious story about acquisition the fearfulness of being the new kid.

Follow-upwards activity: Take students write a tall tale about what school was like last year to share with their new classmates.

31. The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak (K–3)

You might call back a volume with no pictures would exist serious and irksome, but this book has a grab! Everything, and we mean everything, written on the page must exist read out loud past the person reading the book, regardless of how goofy and preposterous it may be. Irresistibly featherbrained!

Follow-up activeness: Have students work with a new friend or partner to create their own short book with no pictures. (Be certain to set clear parameters about content earlier letting students create.)

32. Splat the Cat: Back to Schoolhouse, Splat! by Rob Scotton (Pre-K–3)

How tin there exist homework when it's only the first twenty-four hour period of schoolhouse? Splat must option simply one of all of his fun summer adventures to share with his classmates at testify-and-tell.

Follow-up activity: Offset day of school homework, of form! Take students write well-nigh one of their favorite summer adventures.

33. If You Take a Mouse to School past Laura Numeroff (Pre-K–2)

Yous know the routine … If you lot have a mouse to school, he'll ask you for your lunch box. When yous give him your lunch box, he'll want a sandwich to go in it. Then he'll need a notebook and some pencils. He'll probably desire to share your backpack, likewise. Some other silly story from ane of our favorite authors that is not only fun but lays the groundwork for teaching sequencing.

Follow-up activity: Using a long, narrow sheet of paper folded piano accordion-way, have students create their own "If You Accept … " book. Students tin can build on the mouse story or create a character of their own.

34. Dear Instructor by Amy Husband (Pre-Grand–3)

This hilarious collection of letters from Michael to his new teacher comes packed with alligators, pirates, rocket ships, and much, much more. Can Michael's imagination relieve him from the first day of school?

Follow-up activeness: Take students write a postcard to a friend or family unit member telling them almost their fun beginning week of school!

35.How to Become Your Teacher Prepare by Jean Reagan (M–iii)

In a charming role reversal, the students in this story gently guide their teacher through the getting-fix process for back to school. Your students volition laugh and surely acquire a lesson or two themselves.

Follow-upwards action: Have students compile a list of rules that will help their teacher have the best twelvemonth ever.

36. If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to Schoolhouse, Don't past Elise Parsley (K–2)

An alligator for prove-and-tell sounds similar TONS of fun. What could possibly go wrong? Magnolia is determined to have the all-time evidence-and-tell ever. What will she do when her reptilian pal starts wreaking havoc in the classroom? This hilarious story is sure to inspire even the timidest of show and tellers.

Follow-upward activity: Have students write a story or draw a film about something outrageous they would bring to school for evidence-and-tell.

37. This School Twelvemonth Will Be the Best by Kay Winters (1–3)

On the kickoff day of school, new classmates are asked to share what they hope for in the upcoming yr. The children's wishes, from the familiar to the off the wall, are shown in humorously exaggerated illustrations. As the first day draws to a close, at that place can be no incertitude this schoolhouse twelvemonth will definitely be the best!

Follow-up activity: Have students draw a star, put their proper name in the centre, and write one wish for the schoolhouse year on each point (full of v). Then, take them loop a colorful ribbon through a hole on top to hang from the classroom ceiling.

38. Back to Schoolhouse Rules by Laurie B. Friedman (Chiliad–3)

School is in session! When it comes to surviving school, Percy has 10 simple rules that show in that location is more to schoolhouse than showing up on time and staying awake in class, including no spitballs, no running in the halls, and no crazy scheming! See what other problem—and tips—Percy has in listen!

Follow-up activity: As a whole form, brainstorm "rules" that will make this year the all-time always. Then, accept students transfer their ideas to a class-promise poster that can hang prominently for the residual of the year. Have each pupil sign their proper noun to brand information technology official.

39. David Goes to School by David Shannon (Pre-Thousand–three)

David'southward antics in the classroom will brand your students giggle with recognition. He's so enthusiastic about beingness back to school! Simply David needs to learn that every classroom needs rules so that every pupil can acquire.

Follow-upwards activity: Gather the whole grade on the carpet. Select a few students to act out "bad" beliefs and inquire the other students to explain why the behavior is non okay for the classroom. And then have the aforementioned students act out the "good" beliefs. Repeat with different sets of students to accost the different rules you are reinforcing in your classroom.

forty. A Place Chosen Kindergarten past Jessica Harper (K)

Tommy's barnyard friends are worried! He's gone to a place called kindergarten. They wonder what will happen to him and if he will ever come back. Eventually, he returns with exciting tales of all the fun and learning he's had.

Follow-upwards activeness: Accept your students take a "field trip" around the school to learn more most their new "undiscriminating."

41. Is Your Buffalo Fix for Kindergarten?  by Audrey Vernick (Grand)

Is your buffalo ready for kindergarten? Does he play nicely with friends? Check. Share his toys? Bank check. Is he smart? Check!

Follow-up activeness: Follow forth with Buffalo'southward checklist in this hilarious look at get-go-mean solar day-of-schoolhouse jitters.

What are your favorite back-to-school books? Share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out all of our book lists here.

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Source: https://www.weareteachers.com/14-perfect-picture-books-for-the-first-weeks-of-school/

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