The School Book
Words and Illustrations by Todd Parr
Published by Hachette Book Group
Todd Parr’s signature style is both playful and gentle, which makes his books perfect tools for introducing concepts, like school. The text is just enough to spark pantomime, parallel play, and dialogic prompts to dig a little deeper into the sweet illustrations.
I Got the School Spirit
By Connie Schofield-Morrison | Illustrated by Frank Morrison
Published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
The duo that bought us I Got the Rhythm crafts this vibrant book which is anchored in action words. They are masters of joyful, interactive books that seamlessly encourage audience participation. Pair the action words with movements or simple call and response.
It’s Your First Day of School, Busy Bus!
By Jody Jensen Shaffer | Illustrated by Claire Messer
Published by Beach Lane Books
Pssss, gusshhh, creak, purrr and honk along as Ben the bus driver gets Busy Bus ready for his first day of school! With repeatable sounds and words, and a great social-emotional message, this is a must-read!
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates
By Ryan T. Higgins
Published by Disney Hyperion
This book is hilarious, perfectly paced and ripe for opportunities to explore voice and characterization. This title is a big hit with ages 3 and up, but in large groups it works best for 5-7 year olds.
Mary Had a Little Glam
By Tammi Sauer | Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Published by Sterling Children’s Books
Singable or chantable, this is an absolute gem. To the tune or meter of Mary Had a Little Lamb, the text is so clever, with rich language and vocabulary and the illustrations are an absolute delight.
The Pigeon HAS to Go to School
Words and pictures by Mo Willems
Published by Hyperion Books for Children
Mo Willems is a master of meta picture books, with characters and speech bubbles that jump off the pages. The ornery pigeon is the perfect loudmouth for kids to respond to, creating loads of opportunity for characterization, dialogic reading, and discussing print awareness.