Books about Starting School
Stories Can Help Children Overcome First Day Nerves
Picture books are an excellent way to introduce the topic of starting school and to help children work through the fears and worries of their first day.
All children feel nervous before they start school but reading about the experiences of other children who have gone through the same thing can help them to overcome their first day nerves. There are a wonderful selection of picture books available which explore the issue of starting school and the associated questions and fears.
Spot Goes to School by Eric Hill (Puffin Books, 1987, ISBN 9780140506501)
The ever-popular Spot is an excellent character to use to introduce the idea of starting school. Spot is very nervous on his first day of school but bravely walks there with his Mum and carried his own lunchbox. At school Spot meets his teacher, Miss Bear, and soon makes some friends. Spot enjoys being at school so much that the day is over before he knows it and he is soon running out to meet his Mum and show her his first painting.
Starting School by Allan Ahlberg (Puffin, 1990, ISBN 9780140507379)
This is a beautifully illustrated story about the experiences of several children as they begin school and follows them right through to the Christmas holiday. The aim of this book is to help children understand the process of going to school and, without causing them worry, explain the different situations, some bad and some good, that they will experience.
I Am Too Absolutely Small for School by Lauren Child (Orchard Books, 2004, ISBN 9781843623663)
This book from the very successful Charlie and Lola series examines the fears that a child will experience before the first day of school. Lola agrees with her big brother Charlie that learning to read and write would be useful but feels that she is unable to actually go to school because her invisible friend is too nervous to go.
Topsy and Tim Start School by Jean and Gareth Adamson (Ladybird, 2003, ISBN 9781904351191)
A classic children’s book about how everyone finds starting school to be scary. Topsy and Tim are taken to school by their Mum and spend their first day learning where to hang their coats, finding out about the classroom and making friends. This is a very gentle book and it is easy for children to empathise with Topsy and Tim and to draw strength from their experiences.
Billy and the Big New School by Catherine and Laurence Anholt (Orchard Books, 2004, ISBN 9781843625834)
To calm his nerves about starting school, Billy confides his fears to the birds in his garden. Billy finds a baby sparrow and nurses it back to health, a nice parallel to the activities of Billy’s mother as she gets him ready for his first day of school. The morning of his first day, Billy releases the bird and tells it to fly away and learn to take care of itself. Once at school, Billy tells his new class about the bird, makes friends and has a wonderful day.
Lucy and Tom Go to School by Shirley Hughes (Puffin, 1992, ISBN 9780140544152)
This old-fashioned story still proves charming and helpful to children. Lucy is starting school and has got all her new things ready. She has lovely new grey uniform, new shoes, a pencil case and a satchel. As Tom watches his sister get ready for school, he wishes that he could go too.
