If you’re looking for a read to help you (or your students) ease into this new school year, you’re sure to find the right story among these back to school books!
Consistently reading is one of the best ways to improve essential ELA skills. The books in this collection were selected because of their compelling, captivating stories and their potential to inspire and motivate students to do their best in school and be their true selves. Reading about protagonists who are also experiencing new beginnings will help students better navigate their own changing lives.
Back to School Books for Elementary Students
The beginning of a new school year is an anxious time for many students, so we’ve selected reads that feature protagonists beginning new chapters in their lives and embracing change. Young students relate to these characters, and the lessons in these stories stay with them as they face their own challenges. Plus, the excellent prose and exciting plots help foster a joy of reading!
Books for K-2nd Independent & Group Reading
The youngest Elementary students tend to feel the most daunted by the start of a new school year. Through reading about this experience independently or as a class, they can see that they aren’t alone in this experience as they start their ELA learning.
First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
A beloved first day of school read, First Day Jitters follows Sarah Jane Hartwell as she starts a new school year at a new school. With some encouragement from her mother, she reluctantly heads into her class with that sinking feeling of nervousness in her stomach.
With the help of her teacher, Sarah Jane learns that everyone gets the jitters sometimes, helping her bravely confront the day. This read will help soothe the worries of anxious students and surprise them with a fun, unexpected ending! If you’re looking for back to school reading activities, First Day Jitters is an excellent read-along with your class.
Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Patricia Polacco is a beloved children’s book author, so some would be surprised to know that she is dyslexic. Thank You, Mr. Falker is an inspirational read about her experiences as a young student struggling to read, and how her teacher encouraged her to overcome this reading disability.
This inspirational read will provide encouragement to students who struggle with dyslexia, have other learning disabilities, or fear falling behind their peers. It’s an excellent back to school read that motivates children to overcome challenges and accept help from their teachers or other adults.
The Day You Begin by Jacquelin Woodson
A prolific writer of some of the most beautifully-crafted children’s novels, Jacqueline Woodson’s The Day You Begin explores the difficulty children can have in connecting with others, especially when they feel like they’re the odd one out. From how they look to their food or the way they speak, we have so many different aspects of ourselves that can make us feel different from others.
The frightening feeling of sticking out can be particularly severe when a new school year starts, which is why The Day You Begin is a perfect back-to-school read. Woodson’s lyrical writing crafts this delightful celebration of differences, encouraging students to be brave and embrace who they are!
Independent Reading for 3rd-5th Graders
These reads will encourage older Elementary students to set their best foot forward and ease into a new school year of exciting reading and learning!
New Kid by Jerry Craft
The reading skills of students in third through fifth grades tend can be too advanced for picture books, but large swathes of text can be daunting for some. Graphic novels are an excellent way for young readers who miss the days of picture books to grow a love of independent reading, and New Kid is the perfect back-to-school graphic novel.
On top of starting a new, esteemed school, Jordan Banks finds that he’s one of only a few students of color in his whole grade. While becoming accustomed to such a different school than his previous one and completing challenging academic assignments, Jordan must balance fitting into his prestigious school’s culture while still being himself.
Shine! by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
Many features in this collection of back to school books confront the topic of fitting in—Elementary and Middle School-aged children are in a developmental stage of self-discovery and success-seeking, so fitting in (or being afraid of sticking out) is often on their minds. In Shine! (much like New Kid), Piper starts attending a posh private school, where she feels that every other student is the best at something—except her.
Join Piper as she explores herself and the world around her, figuring out how she can shine and learning that a strong heart can be more important than prestige and awards. This heartwarming book is a must-read for any upper Elementary students who are on their own journey of self-discovery. Science lovers will especially enjoy Piper’s fascination with space and astronauts!
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
Jacqueline Woodson is such a unique, esteemed author of children’s literature that we had to include another work of hers in this list—this time, among our back to school books for upper Elementary students. When six kids are assigned to meet on a weekly basis to chat without the presence of a teacher or adult, they learn that it’s safe to discuss the worries and troubles of their personal lives that don’t typically belong at school.
In the ARTT Room (“A Room To Talk”), Amari, Esteban, Tiago, Holly, Ashton, and Haley are able to express the experiences, feelings, and fears that are otherwise hidden from the outside world. They learn that sharing their pain lessens it, helping them become more courageous and eager to face the world around them. Students facing middle school in a year or two will find Harbor Me inspirational and motivating, learning that the difficulty of attempting to make friends is worth the shared healing and connection that comes as a result.
Back to School Books for Middle Schoolers
Some say that middle school is the most difficult period of school, and starting 6th, 7th, or 8th grade can be daunting for any student. These middle grade back to school books are inspirational stories that’ll make preteens excited about reading!
Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Ghost (a.k.a. Castle Crenshaw) is a runner—together with Lu, Patina, and Sunny, he participates in the most elite track team at his middle school. The four of them are fast enough to potentially qualify for the Junior Olympics—but they must manage their explosive personalities and troubled pasts to focus on their bright future.
Readers love how Reynolds brings characters to life in Ghost, and they find that its lessons of compassion and courage stay with them for years to come. Students who get into trouble or face difficult situations at home will resonate with the way Ghost gets into trouble and finds his way out by doing what he loves.
The First Rule of Punk by Celia C Pérez
When bubbly 12-year-old Malú starts at a new school, she doesn’t mind sticking out from the crowd. In the name of the first rule of punk (being yourself) she violates school dress code and various aspects of Posada Middle School decorum—but she also forms a group of likeminded punks and starts a band.
Readers adore The First Rule of Punk’s protagonist’s determination and the way she stands up for herself when it seems like the world is against her. The book itself is embedded with her spunky personality, including pages of scrapbook-y illustrations, bringing her world and family to life.
Schooled by Gordon Korman
Capricorn (Cap) Anderson sticks out at his new school in a different way—living on a “hippie” farm commune his whole life, he doesn’t share many of the ubiquitous life experiences of his classmates like watching TV shows or eating pizza. Because of this, his new classmates consider him the biggest nerd—and elect him as 8th grade class president as a joke.
Will Cap’s unique background inhibit his task to lead his class, or will it help him make a difference at his school? In Schooled, Gordon Korman uses humor, eccentricity, and changing points of view to show how somebody who couldn’t stick out more is able to find friendship and feel like they belong.
Jo’s Boys by Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott is the brilliant author behind Little Women, a coming of age story of the four March sisters, detailing how they grapple with societal expectations and discover their paths in life. Jo’s Boys is a sequel to Little Women, exploring the lives of the March sisters’ children and the students of Jo’s Plumfield academy.
Reading Little Women and Little Men ahead of this novel will help you have the full context behind the March family, but Jo’s Boys is a colorful, compelling story on its own. Through its animated characters and sharp humor, this novel explores themes of freedom, equality, and innovation. Middle schoolers can relate to the characters’ quests to find themselves—and how difficult that can be to do alone.
High School Reading List for Back to School
After a relaxing summer and an intense year ahead, High Schoolers could use a heartwarming story to ease into school. These back to school books for High School students are beloved coming of age stories with higher level writing to gear teens up for a new year of ELA learning.
The First Rule of Climate Club by Carrie Firestone
In High School, students often develop a greater understanding of society and politics. Naturally, this causes many students to want to make a difference in the world around them. In The First Rule of Climate Club, Mary Kate Murphy and her friends start a podcast on climate activism after learning about climate change’s devastating effects and various causes.
From wasted food in the cafeteria to exclusionary school rules, Mary’s climate club sets out to tackle the issues that the town Mayor refuses to address. Perfect for 9th and 10th grade aspiring activists, The First Rule of Climate Club is a funny, uplifting story that shows students how they can make a difference in their own communities.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
A widely esteemed coming-of-age story set in the early 90’s, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a must-read for teens. Introverted freshman Charlie grapples with trauma in his personal life, a blossoming love of his new friend, and all the complicated aspects of navigating high school.
This is a perfect back to school read, especially when the impacts of social media and the pandemic make high school lonelier than ever for so many students. It’s emotional, impactful, and hilarious—which is why teens have become captivated by this story for decades.
Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley
In Highly Illogical Behavior, Solomon’s agoraphobia has kept him in the house for over three years—and he’s okay with that. When future psychology student Lisa learns about his predicament, she takes matters into her own hands to “cure” him. What starts as a science project becomes a genuine friendship, which gets put at risk in the face of revealed secrets.
The first feature in this collection of back to school books that isn’t about day-to-day school life, Highly Illogical Behavior captures the complicated mixture of fear and ambition that most teens develop at this stage of their lives. This novel is a heartwarming, electric exploration of teen mental health, friendships, and anticipation of the future.
Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh
Juniors and Seniors with anticipation for college bubbling up within them will find a novel about college life motivational to start their new school year strong! New college freshman Ada is far away from her family for the first time ever. While she attempts to find her place at school, she wrestles with the unaddressed aspects of her past that stick in her mind.
Every Body Looking is a beautiful narrative about Ada’s journey to validate herself by doing what makes her happy, and the reader watches her become comfortable with her own self-determination in real time. High schoolers longing for independence or anxious to begin their adulthood will resonate deeply with Ada’s story, learning from both her mistakes and successes.
How to Improve Reading Comprehension this New School Year
We hope you found your next read among these back to school books! Reading for fun is an excellent way to improve ELA skills, and picking up that habit comes from selecting one fascinating story to start with.
Whether you’re a teacher or student of any grade looking for ELA tools and tips, Piqosity can help! Along with our online test prep for the ACT, ISEE, and Digital SAT, we offer full courses for 5-11th grade Math and English. Each ELA course includes dozens of concept lessons, personalized practice software, and over 100 reading comprehension passages.
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