The new school year is already a cause for jitters: Kids navigate higher-level classes, make new friends, and get to know their teachers. When you’re the new kid in class, those feelings of excitement tangled up in nerves are heightened.
Reading relatable stories about characters who have been in their shoes can help your child take the new school year in stride. They’ll know they’re not alone when they read books like A Long Line of Cakes, a middle-grade title about a girl who must adjust to a new school after her family moves yet again.
Other stories like Newbery Award-winner New Kid (an incredible graphic novel about a 7th-grader who has trouble adjusting to a new school with little diversity) and Wonder (a beloved story about a child with a facial deformity attending mainstream school for the first time) explore the important theme of self-identity. Meanwhile, some books on this list also cover friendship and kindness more generally.
Get ready for your child to go back to school with our guide — it's full of recommended books, teacher tips, homework help, and more resources for a successful school year. Plus, take a look at books about bullying in middle school. Reading these titles will help your child learn how to notice and react to the bullying.
Shop books to help your child adjust to being the new kid in class below! You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store.
