Kiki's Bookshelf: Back to School already?

It seems like we just got out for the summer! Darn! If your little one is having trouble with the idea of going to school for the first time; or back to school again, let me suggest some books that may help.

First, I love the book KINDERGARTEN DIARY written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis.

Annalina is not too sure about starting Kindergarten and she documents her first month in this playfully adorable book. She is worried about, Big Kids and if they're mean; what she will wear the first day, she doesn't want to wear socks; and, how scary her teacher will be. She realises after a month of Kindergarten that she and her classmates in room 2K will be just fine!

The book FIRST DAY, written and illustrated by Joan Rankin, is about Haybillybun's first day of school at the Yappy Puppy Play School! He is worried that all the other puppies will make fun of his fluffy fur and long name. But, all the other puppies have long silly names too, and he ends up having lots of fun. Haybillybun's mother is the one who has trouble with him being gone!

A very cute story, and who wouldn't want to go to a school called Yappy Puppy Play School? I mean come on! How completely adorable!

My next recommended book for starting school is THE KISSING HAND by Audrey Penn, illustrated by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak.

Chester the racoon does NOT want to go to Kindergarten! He wants to stay home with mom. So, his mother shows him a secret way for him to carry her love with him to school!

Not only was this book a New York Times #1 bestseller, it recieved the Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence in Educational Journalism in 1994.

A very sweet book about school induced separation anxiety.