Frederick's Child Magazine
Ease the return-to-school jitters with stories about schooltime adventures.
Board Books
“Rosie Goes to Preschool”
by Karen Katz
Get your little one ready for preschool with this beautifully illustrated picture book. Go with Rosie throughout her day to see what school is all about and learn little “Rosie Tips” along the way.
“Lola Goes to School”
by Anna McQuinn
Join Lola and her family as they prepare for her first day of school. This comforting, cheerful read will demystify the school day for your little ones by empowering them to have a great day.
Picture Books
“First Grade Jitters”
by Robert Quackenbush, illustrated by Yan Nascimbene
Here is the story of a young boy who is about to enter first grade and doesn’t know quite what to expect. Will his friends be there? Will he have to know how to read and spell? What if he can’t understand anything his teacher says?
“The Day You Begin”
by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López
National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and two-time Pura Belpré Award winner Rafael López have teamed up to create a poignant yet heartening book about finding courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone. Woodson’s lyrical text and López’s dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes—and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. Sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway.
“The Kissing Hand”
by Audrey Penn, illustrated by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak
This classic heartwarming story tells the tale when Chester the raccoon is reluctant to go to kindergarten for the first time. His mother teaches him a secret way to carry her love with him.
“School’s First Day of School”
by Adam Rex, illustrated by Christian Robinson
It’s the first day of school at Frederick Douglass Elementary, and everyone’s just a little bit nervous, especially the school itself.
Young Readers
“Back to School, Weird Kids Rule!”
by Dan Gutman, illustrated by Jim Paillot
A tropical storm ends AJ’s vacation early. As a solution for their cabin fever, Andrea and AJ go to camp … but it is a camp to get ready for school! Andrea, AJ and their Ella Mentry School friends rally together to end their summer in a way they will never forget.
“Eerie Elementary: The School Is Alive!”
by Jack Chabert and Sam Ricks
On the first day of school, Sam is the hall monitor and becomes convinced that the school is alive. Sam tries to prove his theory and save the students from the scary school before it is too late. This early chapter book is perfectly creepy without being too scary for young readers.
“Isadora Moon Goes to School”
by Harriet Muncaster
Isadora is half-fairy and half-vampire. Her parents want her to start school, but she is not sure where she belongs: fairy school or vampire school? Check out this charming story on self-acceptance, perfect for elementary schoolers who march to their own beat.
Middle Readers
“Merci Suárez Changes Gears”
by Meg Medina
Merci Suárez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. For starters, Merci has never been like the other kids at her private school in Florida because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. Things aren’t going well at home, either. No one in her family will tell Merci what’s going on, so she’s left to her own worries while also feeling all on her own at school. This book was the winner of the 2019 Newbery Medal.
“Mr. Wolf’s Class”
by Aron Nels Steinke
Mr. Wolf has just started teaching fourth grade at Hazelwood Elementary. He wants the first day of school to go well, but he’s got his hands full with his new class. Some of his students include Margot, who is new in town and is trying to make friends; Sampson, who brought something special to school for show-and-tell; Aziza, who just wants everyone to be quiet and do their work and Penny, who is very sleepy because she has a new baby brother at home.
“New Kid”
by Jerry Craft
Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade. As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?
“Save Me a Seat”
by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
Joe and Ravi might be from very different places, but they’re both stuck in the same place: middle school. Joe has lived in the same town all his life, and he was doing just fine until his best friends moved away and left him on his own. Ravi’s family just moved to America from India, and he’s finding it pretty hard to figure out where he fits in. Joe and Ravi don’t think they have anything in common, but soon enough they have a common enemy and a common mission: to take control of their lives over the course of a single crazy week.
Teen Readers
“The Murder Game”
by Carrie Doyle
School can be murder. Luke never meant to get caught up in solving a murder, but when his best friend and roommate is accused of killing a teacher at their elite boarding school, Luke might be the only one who can uncover the truth. This mysterious, fast-paced thriller will keep you reading long into the night.
“Perfectly Parvin”
by Olivia Abtahi
Fourteen-year-old Parvin has the perfect plan to get over all of the bad feelings she was left with when her ex broke up with her—get the cutest guy at her new school to ask her to homecoming to make her ex jealous. For the plan to succeed, Parvin decides to draw inspiration from the leading ladies in her favorite 80s rom-coms. As Parvin struggles to find balance at a new school, succeed in her Farsi lessons and process her post-breakup feelings, her family must also face the realities of being Iranian-American during tumultuous times. This fun contemporary rom-com also deals with issues of identity, race and belonging.
These titles have been thoughtfully selected by Frederick County Public Libraries. You can find these books and more by visiting fcpl.org.
Call your local library to place a hold or request board books for Curbside Pickup.
