Use the power of a well chosen first day of school read aloud book to set the tone, ease nerves, and start building classroom community.
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Make your back-to-school read-aloud story one they’ll remember—giggles, conversations, and all the feels included.
Let’s be honest—the first day of school is a lot.
New shoes. New notebooks. New names. New nerves.
Teachers can relate, am I right?
Whether you’re a seasoned teacher or brand new to the classroom, you can use the power of a great first day read-aloud to set the tone, ease the jitters, and start building your classroom community.
❤️ Why Your First Read-Aloud Matters
Your first book of the year isn’t just a cute story, it’s a tool to build trust, spark connections, and help students feel seen and understood. It helps them know that you get them.
Whether you go for giggles, or quiet comfort, choosing a first day of school read-aloud book that reflects your classroom culture sets the tone for the rest of the year.
That’s why I’m sharing 10 favorite first-day-of-school read-aloud books that educators choose as their top picks each year. Plus I’m mentioning one that’s especially close to my heart about a young girl’s dream teacher.
Click on a title to see more about the book. If you buy one of the books through my affiilate shop at Bookshop.org, a portion of the profit goes to support local independent bookstores.
🎒 10 Must-Have First Day of School Picture Books for Elementary Classrooms
1. Ms. Book’s Big Surprise by Suzanne Pitner
I’ve never met a student who didn’t know which teacher they wanted for the new school year. Have you? But if you’ve ever met a student with strong opinions about who their teacher should be… you’ll love this book.
Hilda is definitely, positively, certain her teacher for the new year will be Ms. Book. She’s dreamed of it all summer. So when the letter from the school arrives, and she discovers her teacher is not Ms. Book, she takes action. Cue her dramatic excuses, a wild imagination, but in the end, a sweet surprise.
✔️ Perfect for grades 2, 3, 4, and 5.
✔️ It’s packed with emotion and colorful watercolor illustrations.
✔️ It includes free bonus activities like a word search, a decodable secret message from the teacher, coloring pages, and a first day game of four corners with questions to help you get to know your students.
📖 Read a sample and get your copy of this book.
2. First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
This is one of those books that never gets old. Each year, students love hearing this story that reflects their own feelings, but has a twist ending that still gets kids laughing every time!
It’s wonderful to use as a conversation starter about back to school nervousness. And yes, it’s perfectly fine to admit to your students that you still experience first day nerves, too!
3. School’s First Day of School
Written by the New York Times bestselling authors Adam Rex (The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors) and Christian Robinson (The Last Stop on Market Street), this book is sure to be a hit with your students.
Frederick Douglass Elementary School is nervous. Will the children like it? Will it make new friends?
The emotions are ones students and teachers share on the first day of school. This timeless tale makes a fabulous read-aloud for back-to-school.
4. A Letter From Your Teacher: On the First Day of School by Shannon Olsen
This is a wonderful book written in rhyme that explains how much a teacher is looking forward to getting to know the students and watching them grow. The pictures are charming and sweet, and the poem reassures children that their teacher truly cares about them.
5. Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen
Do you want to set a tone of connection, kindness, and community? This sweet book does just that. It opens the door for students to share about themselves. Start the conversation and begin new friendships with your students on the very first day.
6. We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
This funny story is a kid favorite. When a young dinosaur learns the lesson, “We don’t eat our classmates,” it helps students laugh and relax and they learn new rules, too. It’s a light-hearted way to introduce classroom expectations and break the ice with your class.
7. Our Class Needs You: A Back To School Book To Welcome Every Child To School by Laura White
This is a lyrical book written by a teacher, about being brave, showing up as yourself, and embracing your special talents and interests, because the class needs you.
This story written in rhyme will make everyone in the class feel at home and welcome. Plus, I love that it’s written by a teacher, so she understands you and what students want to hear from you.
8. Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
This is a wonderful classic for talking about names, identity, and respect. You can pair it with a name activity or a class mural. It’s best for younger students, but I’ve know 3rd graders who still love this story.
9. The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett and Gary Rubenstein
Have you ever known someone who absolutely, positively, never makes a mistake? Haven’t we all?
When Beatrice not only makes a mistake, but makes it in full view of her friends and classmates, she needs to come to terms with her perfectionism.
She and your young readers will learn that it’s a good thing to make mistakes, because we all learn from them.
If you want to encourage a growth mindset in your students, this book will help you along the way.
10. The Crayons Go Back to School by Drew Daywalt
The whimsical illustrations and captions of this book tell the universal story of the end of summer and back-to-school nerves. What will I wear? Will anyone like me?
This well-loved book continues the saga of the Crayons. It’s a must have in every classroom library. Even adults love these books. I can tell you, the Crayons are some of my favorite characters!
❤️ The power of a good story can start your year off right.
Ms. Book’s Big Surprise was written to be that kind of book. It’s relatable, heartwarming, and just the right mix of silly and sweet to open up big conversations in a fun way.
📌 Are you ready to add it to your first week plans?
🎯 Read a sample and get your copy of Ms. Book’s Big Surprise.
📥 Don’t forget to download the bonus first-day activities for Ms. Book’s Big Surprise from the Member Vault right here on this website. The activities make great print-and-go additions to your first week plans.
Ten Teacher Favorite Read Aloud Chapter Books
What’s YOUR favorite first-day read-aloud? 👇