The Kissing Hand
Audrey Penn; illustrated by Ruth E. Harper, Nancy M. Leak · 1993
Chester Raccoon is nervous about starting school, so his mother kisses his palm to give him a kiss he can carry with him.
Books by topic
Classroom Favorites
Some books are built for a room full of listeners: they invite predictions, spark disagreement and give every child something to say. Others are reliable at particular moments in the school year, such as the first days of school.
For discussion questions that work with any of these titles, see our printable prompt bank.
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7 books
Sorted from youngest suggested age. Age ranges are editorial estimates.
Chrysanthemum
Kevin Henkes · 1991
Chrysanthemum loves her name until classmates tease her about it on the first day of school.
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
Kevin Henkes · 1996
Lilly loves her teacher, Mr. Slinger, until he confiscates her new purse — and she has to find a way to make things right after acting out.
Be a King
Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by James E. Ransome · 2018
Readers are encouraged to carry Dr. King's lessons into their own lives and classrooms, paired with scenes from his life.
Each Kindness
Jacqueline Woodson; illustrated by E. B. Lewis · 2012
Chloe and her friends shun a new classmate, Maya, and Chloe later realizes she missed her chance to be kind.
The Name Jar
Yangsook Choi · 2001
Unhei, newly arrived from Korea, considers choosing an American name, and her classmates fill a jar with suggestions.
Wonder
R. J. Palacio · 2012
August Pullman, born with a facial difference, attends school for the first time in fifth grade; the story is told from several viewpoints.
Related guides
Discussion Prompts for Any Book: A Printable Question Bank for Grades K–6
Open-ended book discussion prompts sorted by purpose, with K–2 and 3–6 versions, nonfiction prompts, and facilitation tips and sentence stems.
How to Run a Reading Challenge That Builds Joy, Not Point-Chasing
Design a classroom, library or family reading challenge around choice, variety and celebration, with inclusive rules for audiobooks, rereading and read-alouds.