A Kindergarten Readiness Secret Weapon for Moms

I can’t believe it’s almost time for back to school! This was always one of my favorite parts of the year as a kid. And, let’s face it, I still haven’t outgrown my love for a brand new box of crayons. (I know, nerd alert! But maybe you can relate?) This year, I’m passing that tradition down because my oldest son, Charley, is starting Kindergarten soon. Does anyone have a tissue?

So if you’re like me, while you’re buying lunch boxes and rulers you may be thinking a lot about Kindergarten readiness — for both yourself AND your child.

Like most kids his age, my son has lots of questions about what to expect. What will the classroom look like? What things will he do during the day? Will there be friends? Will there be more than one Teacher? Like I said, lots of questions. And even if kids don’t ask the questions with words, parents can often discern when their children are wondering about what to expect.

So what’s a Mom’s secret weapon for these sorts of things? One of my go-to resources when life events like this occur is to read picture books. Yes, books galore! You probably already know, but I’ll say it again just in case: Reading together with your child creates a close bond, helps prepare them better for school, and can give you words for what to say when you can’t quite find the explanations yourself. It really is quite useful and studies show it’s very important!

But there are SO many kids’ books on kindergarten readiness and general back-to-school topics. (Trust me, I know.) Where’s a parent to start? Well, right here!

That’s right — because I like to make it easy for you parents and caregivers to be the awesome people I know you are, I scoured recommendations for Kindergarten readiness from the best authorities in child literacy and school readiness. Then I narrowed their suggestions down to the best titles to share with you. I’ll pause while you finish your happy dance.

{PSST — One more pro tip for our readers who are also great babysitters: These books would be great picks for you to bring along in a babysitter tote bag to share with the kids under your care. Their parents will LOVE you even more for helping their kids become ready for school.}

The 8 Best Books for Kindergarten Readiness

1. Because I Love a Good Silly Story

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? written by Audrey Vernick and illustrated by Daniel Jennewein

In this book, a girl graciously shows her buffalo the ropes at Kindergarten. In a funny, relaxed way, children receive the message that it’s okay if you don’t know what to do: someone will be there to show you how it’s done. And not everything at kindergarten will be perfectly suited to you, but that’s okay because you just try your best. Put this one at the top of your list!

2. A Classic Title for Kindergarten Readiness

If You Take a Mouse to School written by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond
There is no way I could roundup a list of back to school books without including this one! My love for this series runs deep, and this title is no exception. It takes children through a typical school day, calming fears of the unknown in a humorous way. The illustrations are spectacular and captivating, making this a favorite for almost-kindergarteners and their siblings, too.

3. To Inspire a Love for Learning and Reading

How Rocket Learned to Read written and illustrated by Tad Hills
This is a precious story about how a little puppy named Rocket discovered the wonderful world of reading. It’s lighthearted and relatable (For the record, I don’t usually relate to dogs. Just this once. Ha.) As we read this book, I love doing different voices for Rocket and his Teacher, a little yellow bird with a bubbly, contagious enthusiasm for literature. My son has adored this book for years, so it would be great for readying your preschooler for back to school as well!

4. What NOT to Do

David Goes To School written and illustrated by David Shannon
Oh, David! You’re one of our favorite examples of what NOT to do — at home, at school, pretty much anywhere. Much like my own almost-kindergartener, sometimes you are a mess, but you are always deeply loved. From a manners and etiquette standpoint, I’m generally not a huge fan of showing negative examples to kids.

However, this book is charming enough to be an exception to my rule — as long as you talk your child through it. For example, I like to ask my kids what David is doing wrong on each page, what he could do to correct his behavior, and how the other characters might be feeling. It’s a great learning opportunity for your polite kids.

5. For Kids who are Already Nervous

First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg and illustrated by Judy Love
I will admit I was initially very hesitant about this book. Something about the language at the beginning  was off-putting (for example, “I hate my new school”). But this book came with many high recommendations, so I thought I’d give it a try. I’m glad I did. The ending of the story was quite the surprise to me.

I believe this book could be a great comfort to those kids who have already expressed strong hesitant feelings about starting school (those who might have some child anxiety) — that it’s a normal feeling for many people, but that doesn’t make school any less wonderful. However, for those who are less nervous and more gung-ho about the beginning of school, you might want to skip this book so as not to put thoughts of dread into their heads, know what I mean?

6. Most Rhythmic

Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes written by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean
Another great series! I actually hadn’t read any Pete the Cat books until this one, and I can already tell that I’ve been missing out. One fun perk that comes with these titles is that you can go to the publisher’s website to hear the actual recording of the book/song for free. That makes it a good option for your almost-kindergartener to flip through the pages as the song narrates while you cook dinner or whatever. I know you’re busy!

Or, as I tend to do, you could just make up a tune yourself (because, hello, I’m from Nashville… it’s what we do). Pete the Cat takes one of the joys of a new school year — wearing new “school shoes” — and rocks his first day of school in them. Kids will be likely to identify with this character and get that peppy song stuck in their heads all day. And that’s a good thing!

7. Sorry/Not Sorry It’s a Tear-Jerker

On the Way to Kindergarten written by Virginia Kroll and illustrated by Elisabeth Schlossberg
I was hardly through the second page when — please pass the tissues. I wish I were kidding. Come to think of it, I might be a tad emotional about this whole Kindergarten thing. Nah.

This story chronicles in rhyme all the many accomplishments your child has under his or her belt, and it’s a great reminder to parents (myself obviously included) that, Yes, they’re ready. I can’t help but think about how much of my life over the past 5 years has been focused on teaching, cultivating, and protecting my children. Wow, ready or not, Kindergarten is coming. And it’s gonna be great. (On a related note, honorable mention in this category: It’s Going to Be Perfect by Nancy Carlson.)

8. Most Creative Story

The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School written by Laura Murray and illustrated by Mike Lowery
Remember the story of The Gingerbread Man? Well, you’ve never heard it quite like this! The kids bake him during class and then leave him to cool during recess. Feeling abandoned, The Gingerbread Man goes on a school-wide hunt, meeting kind, helpful people like the Gym Teacher, the Art Teacher, the School Nurse, and the Principal. If your child (like mine) is unfamiliar with a traditional elementary school setting, this is a perfect way to introduce him or her to those roles with a fun, lighthearted story. Enjoy!

So maybe I’m not sure if I’m 100% ready for Kindergarten yet, but I know my son is. With a little trip to the library and a few at-home reading sessions — I didn’t spend a dime — and he now knows more about what to expect. He can hardly wait to get to school in just a couple short weeks! I hope your children feel the same way after reading these books for kindergarten readiness.

Now I’d love to know: are there any books I missed? Please let me know your favorite books for back-to-school down in the comments. I love hearing from you and I really do put your recommendations on our library list. We’re always looking for new recommendations.

Have a wonderful back-to-school season!

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About Aubrey Hunt
Before hopping on the crazy ride we call motherhood, I studied engineering and taught math and science to middle and high school students. Now, perhaps like you, I fill my days singing The Itsy Bitsy Spider and praying my preschooler will eat a vegetable — any vegetable!