It’s that time of year when we inevitably start thinking about the start of the school year and easing the kids back into the school routine. For some children it can be a terrifying prospect, especially if they are starting prep, switching to a new school, or perhaps recommencing home schooling. Here are a few books we love that demystify the whole experience and comfort them with what to expect, often with a great deal of humour.

Your School is the Best! by Maggie Hutchings and Felicita Sala

Everyone’s favourite cockroach is back, and this time he’s going to school!

From show-and-tell to arts and crafts, this little stowaway can’t wait to try it at all … and maybe even become the teacher’s pet!

Charming, hilarious and just a tiny bit disgusting, this is a back to school tale with a twist from the all-star team behind Your Birthday Was the BEST!

Starting School by Jane Godwin & Anna Walker

Tim, Hannah, Sunita, Joe and Polly are all off to school for the first time. Would you like to meet them and see how they go? There are new friends to make, fun ways to learn, and lots of different things to discover.

This beautiful book focuses on the experiences and feelings of five very different children as they begin at school for the first time.

Little Nic’s Big Day by Nic Naitanui & Fatima Anaya

Wake up, little Nic. It’s your very first day! Your school clothes are ready. Let’s get on our way.

Mum, I’m not sure. I’m a little bit wary. Will I make friends? Will it be scary?

Nic is nervous about his first day…but with the help of his mum and a whole class of new friends, it might just be the best day ever.

The Pigeon has to go to School! by Mo Willems

The Pigeon is about to get SCHOOLED. Do YOU think he should go?

Why does the Pigeon have to go to school? He already knows everything! Well … almost everything.

And what if he doesn’t like it? What if the teacher doesn’t like him? I mean, what if he learns TOO MUCH!?!

School is Cool! by Hello!Lucky

What you learn in school will last all year! So how about a hooray-for-school cheer?

In this exuberant picture book from the bestselling Hello!Lucky team, a friendly narrator prepares young readers for their first day of school with humor and encouragement.

It’s the perfect back-to-school gift for those gearing up for their big day, whether they are worried about not knowing the rules, how to make friends, or how to fit in.