4 MORE Books To Help With Those Back-To-School Jitters

Ahhh! It’s back-to-school time! How am I going to make friends? Will I even know where the lunchroom is? Will my teacher be as scary as a witch? These are just a few of the thoughts that are racing through your kid’s brain this time of year. Well, Penguin Young Readers has you covered with these hilarious, heartwarming tales about all the worries that your kids will have while going back to school.

From our favorite llama, to a crazy gingerbread man, to a fancy little milk carton and a friendless peanut butter sandwich, your kids will have a great time following these characters as they try to navigate making friends, getting lost, finding someone to play with, and of course, missing their mamas. And with beautiful pictures and fun rhymes, you won’t want to poke your eyeballs out after you’ve read them one million times.

1. Llama Llama Misses Mama

By Anna Dewdney

Poor little Llama! He’s at preschool for the very first time, and he’s missing his mama so much that he’s having a hard time enjoying all the fun. When he’s reminded at snack time that his mama is coming back, he decides to give school another try. Growing up can be rough for moms and kids, but Llama Llama has always been there for my family to let us know that he’s going through the same stuff, including going to preschool. With it’s adorable illustrations and fun rhymes, this is a book that you won’t mind reading a bazillion times to your preschooler.

2. Milk Goes to School

By Terry Border

This is the tale of a little carton of strawberry milk who is going to her first day of school. She’s having a hard time making friends and a grumpy waffle keeps telling her how spoiled she is. So what if she has a blinged-out backpack filled with hair ribbons and she keeps telling everyone she is la créme de la créme? Okay, she might be just a teeny bit spoiled. Follow along with the amazing photography and hilarious food jokes (I don’t carrot all!) as Milk gets spilled and then starts to figure out the right way to make friends.

3. Peanut Butter & Cupcake!

By Terry Border

Those crazy food characters are back, with their pun-filled jokes and some new friend struggles. Peanut Butter is not having a lot of luck finding someone to play soccer with. Everyone from Hamburger to Cupcake are busy doing their own thing, and Alphabet Soup is kinda rude if you ask me. Don’t give up Peanut Butter! He doesn’t, and he just might find the perfect friend (hint: it rhymes with “belly”). I never knew talking food could be so entertaining. Just like Egg, you’ll be cracking up. *snort*

4. The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School

By Laura Murray; Illustrated by Mike Lowery

Gingerbread men are always getting into trouble, and this little guy who was baked in a school classroom is no exception. When the kids go out for recess, our gingerbread man thinks he’s been abandoned, so he manages to get himself into one predicament after another in order to find the kids who made him. He’s adorable and mischievous, and my 4-year-old immediately wanted to bake some gingerbread cookies to see if we could magic one into running around our house. Look for the upcoming sequel, Gingerbread Man at the Zoo, for more crazy adventures.

So happy reading from Penguin Young Readers!

Best of all, you can enter a sweepstakes HERE to win NINE BOOKS (!) from Penguin to get everyone ready to head back to school.