Summer break is almost over for some. With the end of summer comes the excitement of teachers getting their classrooms cutely decorated, practicing how to pronounce students’ names, and picking out the perfect first-day-of-school book to get the year started. Story-time is an essential part of classroom activities for young students. There are so many ways that representation matters—a character who looks like them, or is shy, talkative, anxious, not so friendly, or eager to make lots of new friends. Books can help children feel seen and understood. Here are a few titles to welcome students to the new year and for the months beyond.
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1. Specs
Van G. Garrett | Reggie Brown | Versify | August 5, 2025
Randy DuBurke | Derick Brooks | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) | July 8, 2025
3. Scarecited on the First Day of School
Alliah L. Agostini | Lala Watkins | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) | June 3, 2025
Ibi Zoboi | Juanita Londoño | HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray | June 3, 2025
5. When I Move
Carole Boston Weatherford | Alea Marley | Union Square Kids | April 29, 2025
6. Getting Ready for First Grade
Vera Ahiyya | Debby Rahmalia | Random House BYR | April 8, 2025
7. KINDergarten: Where Kindness Matters Every Day
Vera Ahiyya | Joey Chou | Random House Studio | June 21, 2022
Tameka Fryer Brown | Alleanna Harris | Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR | November 5, 2024
Ezra Edmond | Jenna Nahyun Chung | Charlesbridge | October 1, 2024
10. The Idea in You
Questlove | Sean Qualls | Abrams BYR | September 24, 2024
11. How We Feel
Leah Osakwe | Becky Paige | Tiger Tales | August 6, 2024
12. How We Share
Leah Osakwe | Becky Paige | Tiger Tales | August 6, 2024
13. Gloriana, Presente: A First Day of School Story
Alyssa Reynoso-Morris | Doris Rodriguez | Little, Brown/Ottaviano | July 9, 2024
Natasha Anastasia Tarpley | Charnelle Pinkney Barlow | Little, Brown BYR | July 9, 2024
15. The Boy Who Found His Voice
Tyler Gordon | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) | June 25, 2024
16. You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!)
Taraji P. Henson | Paul Kellam | Zonderkidz | June 18, 2024
17. Getting Ready for Kindergarten: My First Day of School
Vera Ahiyya | Debby Rahmalia | Random House BYR | June 4, 2024
18. Getting Ready for Preschool
Vera Ahiyya | Debby Rahmalia | Random House BYR | June 4, 2024
19. Ruby René Had So Much to Say
Ashley Iman | Gladys Jose | Kokila | May 14, 2024
20. Olu’s Teacher: A Story About Starting Preschool
Jamel C. Campbell | Lydia Mba | Candlewick | May 7, 2024
21. I Am More Than
LeBron James | Niña Mata | HarperCollins | April 2, 2024
Stephen Curry | Geneva Bowers | Penguin Workshop | March 12, 2024 | PB
23. Look How Much I’ve Grown in Kindergarten
Vera Ahiyya | Joey Chou | Random House Studio | March 5, 2024
24. Words of Wonder from Z to A
Zaila Avant-garde | Keisha Morris | Doubleday BYR | June 27, 2023
25. Dance with Oti: The Bird Jive
Oti Mabuse | Samara Hardy | Candlewick Entertainment | June 6, 2023
Tiffany Hammond | Kate Cosgrove | Wheat Penny Press | May 9, 2023
27. Repeat After Me: Big Things to Say Every Day
Jazmyn Simon | Dulé Hill | Shamar Knight-Justice | Random House BYR | May 2, 2023
Kwame Alexander | Deanna Nikaido | Melissa Sweet | Quill Tree Books | April 4, 2023
Derrick Barnes | Vanessa Brantley-Newton | Nancy Paulsen Books | May 24, 2022
30. Abdul’s Story
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow | Tiffany Rose | Salaam Reads/S&S BYR | March 29, 2022
31. My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World
Malcolm Mitchell | Michael Robertson | Orchard Books | December 29, 2021
32. You Can Be ABCs
Robert Samuel White | Robert White II | Robert Paul | Philomel Books | November 9, 2021
Connie Schofield-Morrison | Frank Morrison | Bloomsbury | July 7, 2020
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow | Luisa Uribe | The Innovation Press | July 7, 2020
Angela Shanté | Alison Hawkins | West Margin Press | May 5, 2020
Jasmyn Wright | Shannon Wright | Atheneum BYR | February 18, 2020
Derrick Barnes | Vanessa Brantley-Newton | Nancy Paulsen Books | July 2, 2019
Kwame Alexander | Melissa Sweet | HarperCollins | June 18, 2019
39. Superheroes Are Everywhere
Kamala Harris | Mechal Renee Roe | Philomel Books | January 8, 2019
Jacqueline Woodson | Rafael López | Nancy Paulsen Books | August 28, 2018
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