Early readers and kids just starting their literary adventures will love to head back to school tackling books about books, coding and being kind in class. Meet the founders of Google and Lego or ask a new kid where he’s from. These 2019 titles can help add confidence to a little one starting a new school or meeting new friends.
Being Me from A to Z, by Lauren Kukla
Best for ages: 4-8
Running through the alphabet can also give kids confidence to have E is for empathy or be U for unique. The rhyme is memorable and parents will enjoy their kids reading it again and again.
Just Ask, by Sonia Sotomayor
Best for ages: 4-8
Justice Sonia Sotomayor was the first Latina appointed to the US Supreme Court and was diagnosed with diabetes as a young girl. She wrote this book to help kids meeting someone different from themselves — and for kids who are different — that gardens are meant to have a variety of flowers and it’s OK to “just ask” when learning about new people. The kids in the book answer questions about diabetes, asthma, life in a wheelchair, being blind and deaf, having dyslexia, autism, Tourette’s syndrome, ADHD, Down’s syndrome, food allergies and speaking with a stutter. Preorder on Amazon.
Little Libraries, Big Heroes, by Miranda Paul
Best for ages: 5-7
Have you and your kids seen Little Free Libraries while walking around your neighborhood? Maybe you’ve checked out a book or two. Learn the tale behind the first one and how the movement quickly spread across the country.
Be Kind: You can make the world a happier place, by Naomi Shulman
Best for ages: 5-9
The list of 125 items that kids can do to make their own world happier and make friends is a great primer for students starting a new school. From “Learn to Say Hello in Several Languages” to “Found A Spider? Don’t Squish It!” the list and lessons are easy for kids to follow or even check off.
Look! I Wrote a Book! (And You Can Too!), by Sally Lloyd-Jones
Best for ages: 5-9
From coming up with an idea to strategizing best ways to get the word out about your book, the narrator provides an honest look at how a story becomes a book. Funny and charming, kids will be wrapt in the tale’s thoughtfulness.
How to be a Coder, by Kiki Prottsman
Best for ages: 7-9
It’s easy to think of “coding” as a mythical, mystical idea that makes computers “go.” This book helps kids understand the basics of coding–similar to following directions in a recipe—using tools they know, like white paper and scissors, then helping the computer understand what’s necessary to create a project.
From an Idea to Lego & From an Idea to Google, by Lowey Bundy Sichol
Best for ages: 10-12
The newest books in the “From an Idea to” series gives kids a look at how the creators of Goggle and Lego grew up to develop their ideas. (Because even Lego was a kid once.) Filled with fun facts about the companies and how each is structured, the book is a great vision for inventors or any kid with an idea.
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