Going back to school after a long summer is both exciting and scary, no matter how old you are. Here are some book recommendations for the New Orleans Public Library to ease those back-to-school jitters and get students of all ages back-to-school ready:

Children

First Day Around the World by Ibi Zoboi & Juanita Londoño offers a lyrical celebration of the first day of school across every continent and explores what going back to school looks like, including breakfast-to-bedtime routines, for children in countries around the world.

Power up your children’s reading skills with A Day in the Life of a Teacher by Paige Towler, a this fun-filled nonfiction reader carefully leveled to help children progress.

In Fish Don’t Go to School by Deb Pilutti, Henry tackles his first-day-of-school-nerves by donning his beloved sparkly fish costume. But, as the day progresses and he becomes more comfortable, Henry takes off different parts of his costume.

Middle Grade

In On Guard! by Cassidy Wasserman, Grace is having trouble adapting to a new school year after her parents separate, and her best friend is no longer her best friend. But, maybe the fencing club will give her a place to be herself.

Old School by Gordon Korman follows Dexter Foreman, who’s lived at The Pines Retirement Village with his grandmother since he was 6 years old, homeschooled by the residents as he’s forced to attend middle school, where he sticks out like a sore thumb.

Wildcats vol. 1 by Crystal Velasquez & Eva Cabrera introduces Mina, an average middle schooler – until she starts attending a new boarding school that her parents also attended. There, she and three other girls learn that they have generational powers that turn them into wildcats. 

Teen

In This Thing of Ours by Frederick Joseph, readers meet Ossie Brown, who’s entire future is in jeopardy when a torn ACL ends his promising basketball career. Now, Ossie must navigate his new place in the social and academic ecosystems of his affluent, predominantly white school. When a Black teacher encourages him to join her highly regarded writing program, Ossie begins to find a new purpose.

Tanya Boteju’s Messy Perfect follows Cassie Perera is a perfectionist junior at a conservative Catholic high school who teams up with a public school to found an underground Gender and Sexuality Alliance in support of a friend. Along the way, she becomes tempted to open up about her own sexuality. 

Ruri faces the usual high school issues in Rurigradon Vol. 1 by Masaoki Shindo: pushy classmates and annoying teachers, until she Ruri gets hit with the biggest reveal of her life—she’s a dragon! Well, a half dragon. Her mom admits Ruri inherited her draconic traits from her father, who, yes, is a dragon. As if dealing with curious classmates wasn’t already challenging enough, Ruri literally turns up the heat in the middle of a lecture.

Visit any Library location or download the NOLALibrary app to find these titles and get more back-to-school reading recommendations.