Summer is slowly coming to an end, and school is on the horizon! Perhaps you’re attending a new school or starting a new after-school activity. Either way, these books will help you prepare and get excited for what’s coming. We’re also celebrating the arts in all its forms. All books are available to check out from the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Board Books
“Gus & Sully Ready for School”
by Steve Light
Friends Gus and Sully are ready for school! They may each do things differently — neat and tidy or a bit less organized — but they’re both excited! This fun board book is a great read for our little friends starting day care or preschool.
Picture Books
“Beautiful Shades of Brown: The Art of Laura Wheeler Waring”
by Nancy Churnin and Felicia Marshall
This picture book biography centers on Laura Wheeler Waring, an African American painter who excelled at portraits. Learn all about Waring’s early life, art education here in Philadelphia and her beautiful portraits of prominent African Americans in the early 1940s. Some of her portraits are hanging in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Waring even painted a portrait of Philadelphia’s own Marian Anderson!
“You Be Teacher”
by Karla Clark and Gabby Zapata
In this brightly illustrated picture book, Teacher is tired and needs someone else to take her place! In rhyming couplets, this book tells a fun, and funny, story about students recalling all the things their teacher taught them throughout the year. A great read-aloud for preschool or kindergarten friends!
“Scarecited on the First Day of School“
by Alliah L. Agostini and Lala Watkins
Afua is both scared and excited for her first day of school — she’s scarecited! She’s also a bit sadbarrassed (sad and embarrassed) when her teacher pronounces her name wrong. In this lively picture book, we learn that it is normal to feel two or more emotions at once, especially when trying something new. This is a great read for those who have mixed feelings about starting school.
“Bhangra Boogie”
by Hena Khan and Sandhya Prabhat
Talia wishes she could be as graceful as the bhangra dancers at the mehndi (a celebration before a wedding). Talia imagines her graceful moves, with jingling bangles, but she’s too scared and shy to try. With a little encouragement from her dadi (paternal grandmother), Talia is ready to show off her dance moves! This colorfully illustrated picture book is sure to get you up and dancing!
Easy Readers/Chapter Books
“Iris and Walter and the Field Trip”
by Elissa Haden Guest and Christine Davenier
Iris and Walter are very excited for their class trip to the aquarium! They’ll get to see different types of fish and maybe even a shark! But what happens when Walter gets lost? Luckily, Iris is there to help find him. This easy reader is perfect for friends just learning to read more independently.
“Sports Are Fun”
by Zaila Avant-Garde and Felicia Whaley
The start of school usually means the start of after-school sports! This easy reader, great for friends just beginning to learn to read, introduces lots of different sports you may want to try. With colorful illustrations, bold-faced type and lots of white space, hand this to your early readers!
Middle Grade
“Emmy in the Key of Code”
by Aimee Lucido
Emmy is starting in a new school in a new city, and she’s having trouble fitting in. Once she starts taking a coding class at school, she makes a new friend, Abigail. Emmy comes to realize that she and Abigail have a lot in common, including their love of music. This middle grade novel-in-verse is filled with light drama, new friendships and new beginnings.
“Artists Who Changed Entertainment”
by James Buckley, Jr., Ellen Labrecque and Steffi Walthall
Dive into this nonfiction book all about artists breaking barriers! Some names you’ll probably recognize, like Taylor Swift and Oprah Winfrey, while others are more obscure but should be known! Learn about singers, models, actors and more.
“Drawing Is…: Your Guide to Scribbled Adventures”
by Elizabeth Haidle
Do you ever find yourself doodling and creating images in your head? This drawing book is a great tool to get you to start thinking about what drawing is, how we get started and how we know when we’re finished. Whether you’ve been doodling for a long time or think you can’t draw, give this book a chance to help you become an artist!
