Scholastic Parents Staff • August 28, 2025 Topicsback to school Book Clubs Book Fairs books parents September teachers

First-Day Ready: Free Back-to-School Sign + Top Book Picks to Get Them Excited for School

Books are the most essential school supplies! Stock your readers’ backpacks with back-to-school books that tackle first-day jitters, build new-student excitement, and help them love learning all year round.

It’s hard to believe that it’s back-to-school season already, but here we are — shopping for school supplies, getting ready to meet new teachers and classmates, and looking forward to a whole new school year full of learning and fun.

But while you’re filling those backpacks, remember: books are just as essential as pens and pencils. A favourite book can be a comforting old friend, a door to new adventures, or a supplement to all those exciting academic skills.

From Clifford’s gentle lessons to Ms. Frizzle’s wild science-filled journeys, to the magic and friendship of Harry Potter — stories shape kids into lifelong readers and thinkers. They build confidence, spark imagination, and teach children that they are never alone, even on the most challenging days.

Ready to pick your new favourite back to school books? Consider adding some of these fun reads to your kids’ backpacks for the year ahead.

Favourite Characters Spark Excitement for the First Day of School

Whether your child is a new student heading off to preschool or an experienced scholar going back to class for another year, the first day of school is exciting — and possibly, a little nerve-wracking. But the best thing about reading these stories is that they give kids a chance to rehearse scary (or thrilling) experiences in a safe, familiar way.

Stories to Soothe First-Day Jitters

Do you have a big change coming up this year? Maybe your family moved over the summer, or your student is heading to a new school. Or perhaps it’s something that’s less earth-shaking but still takes some getting used to!

Whatever’s going on in children’s lives, there’s a story to make the unfamiliar feel comfortable and put life in perspective. Reading stories about how other kids cope with change is like getting a chance to practice the hard stuff before (or while) they’re going through it.

As any parent of littles knows, even small variations on the usual routine can be hard for kids to process. The bigger shifts that come with being a student — like having a new teacher each and every year! — are even trickier for many kindergarteners and early elementary students.

Kids’ favourite characters make the experience even more comforting. Follow along with Pigeon, Eva from the Owl Diaries, and Chester and his mom in The Kissing Hand as they navigate the first day of school, meet their teachers, and make friends.

Of course, new school year nerves don’t stop when kids get older. If your middle-schooler needs some support navigating transitions, check out Team Awkward#1: Jojo vs. Middle School, featuring a sixth grader whose plans for a perfect first day go awry.

Silly Books That Teach Serious Resilience Too!

You Need Pants is a hilarious story about getting ready for the first day in a round-about way.

Sometimes your classmates aren’t what you expect. Gordon Korman’s newest book Old School features Dexter, a twelve-year-old who is going on eighty! Dexter lives at The Pines Retirement Village with his grandmother. He’s been home-schooled by the residents since he was six ? until the day the truant officer shows up and announces that Dex has to go to the local public school. Poor Dex does not fit in at middle school. He gets along better with senior citizens than he does kids his own age. He dresses like a grandpa and his taste in movies and music is decades out of date. Dexter would do anything to get out of middle school and go back to his old life at The Pines. Will his wish come true?

Share Your Favourite Back-to-School Books!

Download our free printable back-to-school signs below:

Once you’ve printed it out, complete the sign together, and share your favourite reads. You’ll document memories and get to those first day of school smiles.

Ready to stock up on stories for the first weeks of school? Check out Scholastic Book Clubs where you can shop by grade and more!

Originally published by Scholastic Parents Staff on August 7, 2025. Versioned for Scholastic Canada.