Books to help your child cover the basics before they start school.
Find more resources on preparing for school, including recommended books and a loanable school pack.
Busy Nursery
Angela Rozelaar
Busy Nursery has easy-to-handle mechanisms making it perfect for young, inquisitive fingers and minds! Young children can join in by pushing, pulling and turning the tabs to clamber up the climbing frame, learn new words, make dough models and have a fun-filled day at school!
Little ones will love playing with this bright and colourful board book with gentle rhyming text and wonderful illustrations by Angie Rozelaar, which is part of the popular Busy Book series.
Bessie’s Bees
George Kirk and Ana Gomez
Bessie’s head is buzzing with bees. And that’s just fine. But when she starts nursery, she finds no one else has bees.
So she decides to keep hers hidden. Before long, Bessie’s head is bursting with bees! Can Bessie find a way to share her bees with everyone instead?
This is an empowering story about starting nursery with a bubbly neurodiverse child at its heart.
Goat Goes to Nursery
Júlia Donaldson
This is a bright and playful board book for toddlers who are starting nursery.
There’s a commotion in the classroom as Goat and the other animals spend the day at nursery. The musical instruments and the dressing up box are lots of fun, but – oh dear! – Goat gets into a muddle or two.
Isobel Hates Change
Marcela Ferreira
Isobel relishes the routine of the school day. She gets to do some art, play games in P.E. and hang out with her best friend Lillian.
But one day, she enters her classroom to find a substitute teacher. He decides to do things a little differently. Her school day has been turned on its head and Isobel’s just meant to be fine with it?! Nope! Isobel is NOT happy.
With a little help from Steve the dog, will Isobel be able to see that change is a part of life and might even, sometimes, maybe, possibly be a good thing?
I’m (Almost) Ready to Start School
Anna Milbourne
A little girl encounters some last-minute nerves when she is almost ready to start school. Who will help make breakfast, walk the dog and keep grandpa company when she’s not here? And what if she feels lonely being away from home?
With good humour and a lot of patience, her grandparents help her see that school is the start of an exciting adventure that will open the world up for exploring, and enable her to make really good friends!
Mum’s Busy Work
Jacinda Ardern
Today I got out of bed and asked Mum what day it was. ‘Monday’ she said. I asked if that was a nursery day. She said yes. I stomped my feet.
Even though nursery is fun, it’s still hard not to miss Mum throughout the week! But despite her busy job, there’s always time for stories, time for games; time for hugs and time for love.
Based on real conversations Dame Jacinda Ardern had with her young daughter while she was prime minister of New Zealand, this book celebrates the relationship between working mums and their children.
When You Meet My Friend
Mark Sperring
It’s a young boy’s very first day at school and he’s feeling a little lost. Where should he put his coat? Who should he sit with at lunch?
Luckily, a classroom full of friendly faces is ready to welcome him, and before long he’s feeling right at home.
Luna Loves Sport
Joseph Coelho
With her lucky trainers, headband, and water bottle, Luna is ready for her school sports day. Luna doesn’t think she’s very good at sports, but she decides to give everything a go.
From football and basketball to swimming and hurdles, Luna and her friend Abiola discover that you don’t need to be the best to enjoy trying new sports – can they overcome their doubts together, and even have fun along the way?
Friendship for Frogs
Susanna Davidson
All Bob really wants is to be a Rocket Frog, but the Rocket Frogs have other ideas: ‘To be in our crew, you have to be smooth! You haven’t got our beat. And you ain’t got our moves!’
But as Bob – and the Rocket Frogs – will find out, the best friends are the ones who accept you as you are: ‘You see, I learned a lesson, something wise and true. Friends that are worth having, love you because you’re YOU!’
An uplifting story that celebrates individuality and encourages children to be inclusive of others.
Monsters Go Back to School
Susanna Davidson
The summer holidays are OVER! Billy is going back to school and he wishes he wasn’t. There’s so much to worry about – his ENORMOUS uniform, his terrible pencil case, the not-very-friendly-new-boy.
But along come the Mini Monsters to show Billy that even when things go wrong, he has the power to make them right again.
Rainbow Magic: Back to School Collection
Daisy Meadows
Join Rachel and Kirsty on six school adventures in this bumper back to school collection with Carly the Schoolfriend Fairy and Tilly the Teacher Fairy.
Rainbow Magic is the perfect stepping stone for children to become independent readers. With black and white illustrations, short chapters and lots of books to collect, these books are really accessible for children aged 5+.
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