Getting ready for kindergarten book list
Posted on August 18, 2015 at 6:00 am
By Rachel Edmondson
Starting kindergarten can be both exciting and scary. What parent isn’t excited about the free time they will have while their kindergartner is at school, but also a little scared to let them go? This transition can be just as intimidating for a new kindergartner as it is for parents. Even if a child has attended preschool, their elementary school is likely to look and feel a little daunting. The building is bigger, there are more classrooms, they may be eating lunch away from home for the first time and the list of new experiences goes on.
There are several ways to help prepare your student for this next step. Some families do a practice run ahead of time. They pack a lunch the night before, wake up in the morning at the right time and get all ready, then drive to the school so their child can see it again.
Another great resource is the United Way Kindergarten Readiness Calendar available at your library. It just so happens that one of the recommended ways to prepare your student is to read books about kindergarten together. Sometimes, getting a peek into what a new experience will look like is just the added assurance we need. Books are a safe way to explore feelings and start conversations about what to expect. So if you and your little one are feeling a little apprehensive, the library is here to help! Here are a few titles to checkout and read together before the big day:
Monkey Not Ready For Kindergarten
By Marc Brown
Monkey has new shoes, he knows how to count to twelve, he’s read books about kindergarten, but he still doesn’t feel ready. When the first day arrives, will Monkey be ready for kindergarten?
Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!
By Nancy Carlson
Henry is so excited to go to kindergarten. But when it comes time to be dropped off, Henry has second thoughts.
What Did You Do Today?
By Toby Forward
After a mother drops her son off at school, we see all the ways their days are similar even though they are apart.
Wemberly Worried
By Kevin Henkes
Wemberly worries about everything. When it’s time to start school, she worries even more than usual. Kids who feel especially nervous will find a kindred spirit and feel encouraged that they too can overcome their worries.
Mr. Ouchy’s First Day
By B. G. Hennessy
Mr. Ouchy is nervous about his first day teaching. Will his students like him? What if he can’t find the bathroom? What if he forgets everybody’s name? Kids will be reassured to know that even teachers can get a little bit nervous about the first day of school.
Ready and Waiting For You
By Judi Moreillon
This book is a great way to introduce your child to all the fun new people they will meet when they start school. Beyond their teacher and classmates there is the bus driver, the school secretary, the cafeteria staff, the music teacher, and so many more!
Wow! School!
By Robert Neubecker
This wordless picture book is a great way to get your child talking about the new things they might see and do when they start school.
Kissing Hand
By Audrey Penn
Chester Raccoon is nervous about going to kindergarten for the first time. To help him feel less anxious, his mother shows him a way to take her love with him wherever he goes.
Oliver and his Alligator
By Paul Schmid
In this silly story, Oliver brings an alligator to school and has the alligator eat up everything he is afraid of. Eventually he realizes he’s bored, and that inside of his alligator, school is going on without him, and it sounds like a lot of fun!
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
By Joseph Slate
This ABC book shows Miss Bindergarten setting up her
kindergarten classroom while all the kindergarteners get
ready for their first day.
Ally-Saurus & the First Day of School
By Richard Torrey
Ally loves dinosaurs and hopes she’ll make some friends at school that do too. At first she feels like she doesn’t fit in with all the girls pretending to be princesses, but it doesn’t take long for her to find some friends.
Yoko Writes Her Name
By Rosemary Wells
Yoko already knows how to write her name, but when she starts kindergarten she is teased by the other kids who say her Japanese writing is just scribbling. This sweet story will be especially encouraging to kids whose first language is not English.
Tags: booklists, books, kids, Kindergarten, parenting, parents, school
