Pick out a new backpack, sharpen your pencils, and get ready with your friends because it's going to be a big day soon. This is what you should do:

Your child is going to start kindergarten.

There isn't any doubt about it. The first day of kindergarten can be very scary for a child. Their new school is big, and the older kids are even bigger, and the little ones will be away from their parents for so many hours. This is why the parents are worried about them.

It's likely that your child will be nervous about starting kindergarten. We're sure you are too! But you know what will help them calm down on their first day.

Reading is a must!

Get them ready with books for starting kindergarten

Books for starting kindergarten will help your kiddos get ready for the very big day. Reading about what they can expect – from big classrooms to new desks, to learning the alphabet, to counting and sharing and making new friends – will help calm nerves and make the first day of school feel more accessible.

Change, after all, is never easy, and this is a big one. But with books about starting kindergarten, you can tackle their jitters head on and discuss some of their biggest fears before you drop them off that first day.

The books on this curated list will help you talk about their most pressing questions, from what kindergarten will be like, to making new friends, to what to do if – gulp! – they miss mom or dad.

So what are you waiting for? Get them ready for their first day of school with these fantastic books for starting kindergarten!

Our Favorite Picture Books for Starting Kindergarten

The King of Kindergarten

By Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

When you think back to school books are all the same, a new one comes out that has a unique twist and a beautiful voice. I love this story about a young boy who wants to make his mark on kindergarten. It is fresh, unique, and so much fun! That's not the only thing that makes this story great. It also has some great references to the boy being the "king" of kindergarten, which is what his mom calls him when he wakes up before the first day of school. There are many references to the boy's kingdom in the text, from the big yellow carriage that will take him to the grand fortress, to the royal seat where he meets his kingdom. The answer is: Story: This one is a lighthearted, funny one that is both comforting as well as empowering. It will stay with kids as they get ready for their own first days of school.

The Kissing Hand

By Audrey Penn

She worries about everything, from spilling her juice to having snakes in the radiator. The first day of school is the one thing that Wemberly is most afraid of. When Wemberly starts a new school year, she meets another person who is afraid of the same things that she is afraid of. She realizes that maybe she doesn't have to be afraid after all. He writes from the point of view of a child in a way that is very real. We love Kevin Henkes.

Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous: A First-Day-of-School Dilemma

By Keith Calabrese and Juana Medina

The first day of school is a big deal! In this cute book, a little girl approaches her first day of school in a new way. In the end, Lena is not the one who is stressed out for the big day; it is her shoes! Will Lena be able to help her shoes get over their fear of starting school? Who thought shoes could be so shy? This book is just so cute! I love it!

All Are Welcome

By Alexandra Penfold and illustrtated by Suzanne Kaufman

You might like this book about the first day of school because it is so beautiful at celebrating students from all over the world as they start their new schools. This book is a great way to show that all kids are welcome in their classrooms and schools. In the beginning of a new school year, it sends an important message. It shows all kids who start kindergarten that they can feel safe in their new place.

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten

By Joseph Slate and illustrated by Ashley Wolff

There are twenty-six kindergarteners in this book, one for each letter of the alphabet. This is a very cute book. To help kids get ready for the first day of school and also work on their letter recognition, this book is great!

The Night Before Kindergarten

By Natasha Wing and illustrated by Julie Durrell

I love how this version of "The Night Before Christmas" shows kids getting ready for kindergarten. As the characters pack their bags, take pictures, and say goodbye to their parents, they can't help but get excited about their first day. Then, when they get to their new school, they'll find out that kindergarten is so much fun!

Planet Kindergarten

By Sue Ganz-Schmitt and illustrated by Shane Prigmore

Prepare your kids for a trip to a part of the galaxy they've never been to before. In Planet Kindergarten, that's what I mean. This is a fun way for kids to get used to their new situation, letting them pretend they are brave new explorers of a new world. Those who are afraid of kindergarten will be able to see that it will be a great time.

Your Name is a Song

By Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and illustrated by Luisa Uribe

Especially for kids who are afraid of their unique names and identities, this is a very important book about how to start school. For the way it helps kids see the beauty in every name, no matter how hard it might be for teachers or classmates to say. In this positive book, which is written and illustrated in a way that makes it clear that no child will be shunned or mocked because of his or her name. Instead, the book celebrates the beauty and importance of names, no matter how common or unique they are.

Mae’s First Day of School

By Kate Berube

First day of school is scary for Mae. She may not be liked by the other kids. She might be the only person who can't write. It turns out that Mae is so scared that she decides to stay away from school and hide in a tree. In hiding, she learns that she isn't the only one who is afraid of starting kindergarten. Kids will love the surprise twist this story gives them. As kids start a new school year, many of them are afraid. This heartfelt story shows kids that they aren't alone and that they aren't the only one. Other students, and even teachers, get stressed out, too. Love Kate Berube's style and her book.

 

Danbi Leads The School Parade

By Anna Kim

Though Danbi is excited to attend her new school in America, she’s also nervous and feels like she can’t do anything right in her new class. When she walks into her classroom for the very first time, everyone stares, and poor Danbi feels she does all the wrong things! But then Danbi musters up a whole lot of courage and some inventiveness, too. Before she knows it, Danbi leads her class in a parade, settles her nerves, and even has some fun. We love this story for the way it shows that using your imagination can open your world to new classmates.

Kindergarten Here I Come

By D.J. Steinberg and illustrated by Mark Chambers

This story is a lot of fun because it shows how a child grows and changes over the course of a year in kindergarten. This book has short poems about the best things that will happen in kindergarten. It will show nervous kids what they will do the first time they go to school.

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