School Counseling Books For August
Picture books are perfect to use in your counseling or SEL lessons - they are no prep, and kids love them! These school counseling books for August will help you have meaningful conversations with your elementary students about back to school and separation anxiety.
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Back To School books for school counseling
Butterflies On The First Day Of School by Annie Silvestro
Grades: Pre-K to 1
Rosie is nervous before the first day of school. She feels like her stomach hurts, but her mom tells her that it’s just butterflies. As Rosie experiences great things on her first day, little by little her butterflies go away.
How Do Dinosaurs Go To School? by Jane Yolen
Grades: Pre-K to 2
This story helps students learn expectations at school. It’s a great way to remind students of what is expected at school after being off for summer break. Plus, they will love reading about all of the funny things the dinosaurs are up to!
School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex
Grades: K to 2
In this story, kids learn about the first day of school from the perspective of the school building. He’s a little nervous, and isn’t sure that he likes the idea of being filled with children. As it turns out, he had more fun than he thought he would.
Ellie The Elephant Makes New Friends At School by Agnes Green
Grades: K to 3
Ellie the elephant is off to her first day of school. She’s starting to feel a little nervous, and then everything seems to go wrong. Her chair breaks, she spills her purse, and no one wants to be her friend. When Ellie helps one of the students at the school, she is able to make friends and ends up loving her school. This is not only a great story about first day jitters, but about kindness and helping others feel welcome.
First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
Grades: K to 3
Sarah does not want to go to school on the first day. She is starting a new school this year and is hesitant to go. At the end of the story, the readers find out that Sarah is a teacher- Mrs. Hartwell! This story is perfect for helping students understand that their back to school worries are normal and common!
Separation Anxiety Books For School Counseling
In My Heart by Mackenzie Porter
Grades: Pre-K to K
This is a sweet reminder that even when children aren’t with their families, they are never really apart. The mom in this story tells her child that she is always thinking of the child throughout her day of work. She reminds the child that they are always connected by their thoughts and hearts.
Jake Starts School by Michael Wright
Grades: Pre-K to 2
Jake is excited for school, but when he gets there, he doesn’t want to let go of his parents. He holds on to them throughout the whole day and ends up missing out on a lot of fun. In the end, he gets brave enough to let go and gets to share a special moment with his class and teacher!
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
Grades: K to 2
Chester the raccoon is nervous about his first day of school. He wants to stay home with mama. To comfort Chester, mama kisses his hand and tells him to hold it up to his cheek whenever he feels lonely or scared. The kissing hand will fill his head with warm, positive thoughts. This is a great strategy for students who struggle to separate from their parents.
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
Grades: K to 2
When Liza and Jeremy are scared by a thunderstorm and want to stay with their mom, she reminds them of the invisible string. The invisible string is a string of love that connects people near and far. This is a great reminder to students that even when they aren’t physically with their loved ones, they are still connected.
When You Are Brave by Pat Zietlow Miller
Grades: K to 3
This book isn’t about separation anxiety specifically, but it is a great reminder for kids about facing hard situations. Students will be reminded that they can find courage deep inside themselves to face things that are scary.
These 10 school counseling books for August are an easy way to help your students process the many emotions that come with the back to school season. If you are looking for more books to use in your counseling lessons, sign up below to get your free list of 120 social emotional picture books!
