Time For School, Little Blue Truck, by Alice Shertle
Little Blue Truck came down the road and noticed the school bus was full with all the farm animals. Frog was driving the truck.
It was the first day of school. Little Blue wished he was a big shiny school bus. Little Blue said goodbye to his friends and traveled down the road.
He notice Pig was standing in his yard, crying. Pig had missed the bus. Pig’s friend, little Blue Truck, gave him a ride to school so he wouldn’t be late. Little Blue Truck was still able to help his friend even if he wasn’t a big shiny school bus.
This book is about the beginning of school and the first time riding a school bus. It lets children know what to expect, if they have never ridden a school bus.
Riding a school bus for the first time can be scary for young children. It helps them to know they won’t be alone on the school bus and other people are watching out for them.
You Are Ready! The World is Waiting, by Eric Carle
This book helps children know that they are ready to spread their wings and try new adventures like school, gymnastics or soccer. Children have worked hard to prepare themselves for making friends and making new discoveries. The world might seem scary, but the child and mom in this story have worked hard together to get themselves ready for new ideas and learning new ways of doing things.
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn, by Kenard Pak
A young girl takes a walk. She says goodbye to hot summer days, birds singing in the trees and colorful flowers. She says hello to falling leaves, windy days and animals flying south. It is a good book to help children notice the seasonal changes and know that these seasons will return. With mom and dad’s help children will begin to predict what is coming next.
How to pick a great children’s book
The selection of books is as important as the selection of toys. Young children have incomplete information for understanding the world around them, which results in what we often refer to as “magical thinking”: explanations for things that don’t make sense to adults. Magical thinking can make it difficult to know what’s going on in a child’s mind, and may lead to unexpected reactions of fear or stress.
Here are some thoughts about selecting appropriate books:
- Look for pictures that may be scary to a young child. Is there a fire? Do the animals have long sharp teeth? Are there depictions of things that you know are troubling to your child specifically?
Acierno
- Is the vocabulary suitable? Are the words scary, like yelping, snarling and hissing sounds. Are there references to violence or antisocial behavior – fighting or throwing things?
- Is it developmentally appropriate? Books for young children should be uncluttered and simple with a clear presentation of the important concepts. The first words that children learn are nouns – the objects of everyday life.
For more insights about selecting books and reading with young children, look at our original list of 100 great children’s books.
Book links go to Amazon and generate a small donation to Hanna Perkins Center when used to make a purchase.
Other blog posts that might be of interest:
OCT
2023
About the Author:
Early Childhood Educator Noreen Acierno teaches preschool at Hanna Perkins School, where she has worked since 1999. She is passionate about children's books.