The end of another school year is almost here! Whether your little one is excited for summer vacation or sad for the school year to be ending, books are a great way to reflect on the year and help prepare them for the upcoming transition! This list contains six of our many favorite books that talk about reflecting on the school year and the future that lies ahead for your little ones!
A Letter to My Teacher
Great for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners!
Dear Teacher, Whenever I had something to tell you, I tugged on your shirt and whispered in your ear. This time I’m writing a letter.
So begins this heartfelt picture book about a girl who prefers running and jumping to listening and learning—and the teacher who gently inspires her. From stomping through creeks on a field trip to pretending to choke when called upon to read aloud, this book’s young heroine would be a challenge to any teacher. But this teacher isn’t just any teacher. By listening carefully and knowing just the right thing to say, she quickly learns that the girl’s unruly behavior is due to her struggles with reading. And at the very end, we learn what this former student is now: a teacher herself.
Memory Jars
Great for preschoolers and kindergartners!
Freda is devastated when she can’t eat all the delicious blueberries she’s picked. She has to wait a whole year before they’re back, and she doesn’t want to lose them! Then Gran reminds her that they can save blueberries in a jar, as jam. So Freda begins to save all her favorite things. But it turns out that saving everything also means she can’t enjoy anything, and Freda realizes that some things are best saved as memories.
Summer Vacation, Here I Come!
Great for preschoolers and kindergarteners!
It’s summertime, and what better way to celebrate the season than with some poems from best-selling author D. J. Steinberg! From splashing around at the local pool to heading on a family road trip, these silly and heartwarming poems – plus a page of stickers! – are sure to evoke the joy of summer vacation for every reader.
Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend!
Great for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners!
Change and transitions are hard, but Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! demonstrates how, when one experience ends, it opens the door for another to begin. It follows two best friends as they say goodbye to snowmen, and hello to stomping in puddles. They say goodbye to long walks, butterflies, and the sun…and hello to long evening talks, fireflies, and the stars. But the hardest goodbye of all comes when one of the friends has to move away. Feeling alone isn’t easy, and sometimes new beginnings take time. But even the hardest days come to an end, and you never know what tomorrow will bring.
You Are Ready!: The World Is Waiting
Great for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners!
Like Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss, in this book Eric Carle reminds young readers that the key to achieving all they desire lies within. This book is the perfect gift for graduation or for anyone of all ages ready for their next big step.
You are ready.
It is time for you to spread your wings and fly.
The world can seem like a scary place.
But you are ready.
And Off You Go to Change the World
Great for preschoolers and kindergarteners!
The perfect gift for graduates of preschool or kindergarten as they accomplish their first experiences with school and pave the way to a lifetime of learning, this book is a great way to celebrate the special child in your life. With charming illustrations and text to uplift and motivate, And Off You Go to Change the World is a wonderful read for parents and children alike. Congrats, grads!