Cute First Day of School Books for Your Toddler

Our 2.5 year old is going to start going to preschool a couple of mornings a week starting in the fall. This will be her first time attending any sort of day care, so I wanted to be sure to prepare her for the change. Below are Cute First Day of School Books for Your Toddler. If your little one is starting preschool or kindergarten, these books are perfect to help them feel more prepared. 

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1. Time for School Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle 

Little Blue truck wishes he was a bus, because he wants to be able to carry all of his friends, but that’s just not his job. He’s good at being a little blue truck! This book was less about preparing for school but we love the Little Blue Truck, so I couldn’t resist. 

2. Curious George’s First Day of School by Margaret & H.A. Rey

Curious George is another staple in our children’s book library. In this book George goes to an open house at the school and (of course) gets into all kinds of mischief, but ends the day being helpful. Classic George. 

3. Curious George Goes to School by Margaret & H.A. Rey

Another good Curious George book is about his first day of school. We learn about all the different ways George was helpful in class and made the day special for his fellow students. These books are great for teaching kids about empathy and being kind. 

4. Amelia Bedelia’s First Day of School by Herman Parish

I grew up reading about Amelia Bedeila the adult, so it was fun to introduce Amelia Bedelia the child to my daughter. She is always getting into mischief by taking things people say literally. This book is a very fun and silly read. 

5. First Day of School by Mercer Mayer

Unlike many of the other books on this list, Little Critter is not worried. He’s excited! What we like about this Mercer Mayer book is that each page has a flap to extend the scene. It’s also fun to look for the spider and the mouse on every page. 

6. D.W.’s Guide to Preschool by Marc Brown

My daughter loves D.W. I think she relates to her zest for life and strong opinions. In this book D.W. walks you through a typical day at preschool from her perspective. Much like the average preschool there I a little learning, a little chaos, and a lot of fun. 

7. The Pigeon HAS to Go to School by Mo Willems

Have you read the pigeon books? They are all about a sassy pigeon who either does or doesn’t want to do something. He expresses his biggest worries and worst fears, before overcoming his worry and trying something new (like riding the bus). The illustrations are award-winning and for good reason.

8. Off to School by Lillian Jaine

Elmo’s Off to School book is classic Sesame Street. You help Elmo prepare for school by pouring his cereal, filling his lunch box, etc. I found this one really interactive and encouraging for my toddler. 

9. Llama Llama Back to School by Anna Dewdney

As always, I can’t do a book haul without Llama Llama. My toddler absolutely adores Llama Llama, so I knew she would love to learn about school from his perspective. This book starts out talking about the end of summer and what that means, which I thought was helpful. 

10. The Night Before Preschool by Amy Summer

The Night Before Preschool is based off of the Night Before Christmas story. It’s about a little boy who can’t sleep on the night before he starts school, because he is scared. The rhyming in this book is sweet and well done.

11. Bonnie’s First Day of School by Judy Katschke

If you haven’t seen the fourth Toy Story movie, please go watch it. In the movie a little girl named Bonnie creates a new toy out of scraps and names him Forky. In Bonnie’s First Day of School Forkey helps Bonnie have the best first day of Kindergarten. The book also includes a build-your-own Forky kit and stickers, so that your little one can have a new friend, too. 

12. Disney’s Growing Up Stories: First Day of School 

Disney’s Growing Up Stories: First Day of School is the only book on my list that’s a board book. I can’t believe we are leaving the board book phase… crazy. Anyway, Mickey Mouse’s twin nephews go to school for the first time in this book. They practice so that they can feel ready for school and end up feeling excited to start. The book has lift-a-flaps, which is interactive and fun!

13. Franklin Goes to School by Paulette Bourgeois

Franklin is a favorite in our house. He is a turtle who is always worried about new events and the opinions of others. Franklin is nervous about the first day of school, but finds things he likes to do and ends up having a good day. If you have a little one who is worried about starting school, I highly recommend this one. 

14. Clifford’s First Day of School by Norman Bridwell

Clifford’s first day of school is actually a story about when Emily Elizabeth took Clifford into school when he was a tiny puppy. When Clifford grows up he is too big to go inside, so he gives her a ride to and from school every day. My daughter loves tiny animals, especially dogs and cats, so she enjoyed reading about Clifford’s puppy shenanigans. 

Thank you for reading Cute First Day of School Books for Your Toddler. For more home and motherhood content, check out these additional blog posts:

Where to Find the Best Books for Your Toddler
How to Create an Ocean-Themed Water Table
Our Simple and Functional Toddler Playroom
How to Transform a Simple Ikea Play Kitchen

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