Posts Tagged ‘starting school’

Back to School Fun with Super Picture Books and Free Printables

Posted on August 13th, 2013 by Carolyn Hart


Storytime Standouts shares picture books and free printables for children starting school

Storytime Standouts highlights three special picture books for youngsters headed off to school and shares a free printable picture dictionary and writing paper



Are your children excited to start school or are they fearful about it? Do they have questions about what the classroom will look like and who will be there? Are they concerned about rules, routine and homework or are they excited to meet their teacher and make new friends?


For many adults, books are a great source of information as well as entertainment. Whether searching for a delicious recipe, researching an upcoming family vacation or deciding if a visit to the doctor is necessary, books can be inspiring, entertaining, informative and reassuring.


Just as adults seek information from books, children gain understanding and confidence as they explore new and unfamiliar situations through books. Whether beginning preschool or returning to school in September, there are many delightful picture books available to help you and your child explore the experience together and then make the transition with ease.


Fun song for children starting First Grade


Biscuit Goes to School Biscuit Goes to School written by Alyssa Satin Capucilli and illustrated by Pat Schories
Beginning Reader published by Harper Trophy

Biscuit is a truly outstanding series for beginning readers. Beautifully illustrated with engaging pictures that will help a new reader to determine meaning. Classroom depicted is racially diverse.

Resources for extension activities, including printables are available here.
Biscuit Goes to School at Amazon.com

Biscuit Goes to School at Amazon.ca


Storytime Standouts shares Special Picture Books for Children Starting School including Ready Set Preschool
Ready, Set, Preschool! – written by Anna Jane Hays, illustrated by True Kelley
Picture book about preschool published by Knopf Books for Young Readers an Imprint of Random House Children’s Books



Ready, Set, Preschool! features stories, poetry and detailed illustrations that will enable youngsters to explore a typical preschool classroom, experience a field trip, observe playground activities and more. As well, the illustrations and text offer opportunities to practice counting, identifying colors and shapes, recognize rhyming words, the alphabet and letter sounds.

Extensive notes for parents provide helpful suggestions of ways to extend learning and prepare young children for their very first school experience.

Ready, Set, Preschool!: Stories, Poems and Picture Games with an Educational Guide for Parents at Amazon.com

Ready, Set, Preschool!: Stories, Poems and Picture Games with an Educational Guide for Parents at Amazon.ca


Storytime Standouts shares Special Picture Books for Children including Off to First Grade
Off to First Grade – written by Lousie Borden, illustrated by Joan Rankin
Picture book about starting grade one published by Margaret K. McElderry Books



I can still recall vividly a recommendation that was made when I attended my eldest son’s kindergarten orientation: make sure your child is not expecting to ride the school bus to school unless he actually is going to climb aboard)! It was great advice. In those days he was captivated by large vehicles. Discovering at the last minute that he would not be riding the bus off school could have been terribly disappointing. The transition from kindergarten to grade one is explored thoroughly and with thoughtfulness in Off to First Grade. The author tells the story from a variety of perspectives. We discover some children will ride the bus and others will walk. Some are eager to begin grade one and a few think they would rather stay in kindergarten. Mrs. Miller is hoping to remember everyone’s name, the school bus driver is excited and the principal wonders which book to read aloud to the new grade one students.

Off to First Grade at Amazon.com

Off to First Grade at Amazon.ca


Storytime Standouts shares Special Picture Books for Children Starting School including How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? – written by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague
Picture book about school life published by The Blue Sky Press an imprint of the Scholastic Trade Book Division.



For children heading off to school, the best How Do Dinosaurs title by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague is How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? Here the reader visits a conventional elementary school. The school, its staff and students appear quite unremarkable except for eight or ten extraordinary pupils. Enormous creatures from the Jurassic period demonstrate proper behavior enroute to school, on the stairs, in the classroom, during show-and-tell and at the playground. Lots of funosaurus for dino fans who are heading off to school soon.

How Do Dinosaurs Go To School? at Amazon.com

How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? at Amazon.ca


These stories about worries and fears may also be helpful for children who are anxious about starting school

Our back to school theme printables are perfect for beginning writers.
Picture Books for children with anxiety or fear

3 Free Back to School Theme Printables for Home and School

Storytime Standouts offers a free printable school picture dictionary for children

image of PDF icon  School Picture Dictionary

Free printable school picture dictionary for readers and writers in kindergarten and grade one. Also a great resource for ELL / ESL


Storytime Standouts shares free printable back to school interlined paper for children

image of PDF icon  Writing paper for kids - Back to School

Free printable Back to school theme interlined paper for beginning writers.


My First Day of School Interlined Paper Printable

image of PDF icon  My First Day of School 'Boom'

Free printable interlined writing paper for the First Day of School


Munsch’s We Share Everything – A Super Way to Celebrate Pink Shirt Day

Posted on February 25th, 2011 by Carolyn Hart

We Share Everything by Robert Munsch is a great choice for kindergarten Pink Shirt DayWe Share Everything! written by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko
Picture book about kindergarten and sharing published by Scholastic

Be sure to check out our page about anti-bullying picture books for children, our page about anti bullying chapter books, graphic novels and novels for children , and our Pinterest anti bullying board

While not strickly speaking an “anti-bullying” resource, We Share Everything! is a story about getting along – with a pink twist. A perfect book to use in a kindergarten class to celebrate Pink Shirt Day.

Amanda and Jeremiah’s first day of kindergarten is filled with clashes. When Amanda selects a story from the bookshelf, Jeremiah demands that she give it to him. Their noisy conflict draws the attention of an enthusiastic kindergarten teacher who gushes, “This is kindergarten. In kindergarten we share. We share everything.” As the day progresses, the kindergarten teacher shares these same pearls of wisdom through conflicts with building blocks and paint spatters. She remains unflappable until the youngsters take heed of her advice and decide to share their clothes. “The teacher came back and said, “Oh Jeremiah and Amanda. You’re sharing, and you’re learnning how to act in kindergarten, and you’re being very grown-up, and Jeremiah, I really like your… PINK PANTS! Jeremiah, where did you get those pink pants?” A fun look at sharing and getting along, best for children aged four to six.

Listen to Robert Munsch share the story with an audience

We Share Everything! at Amazon.com

We Share Everything! at Amazon.ca



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