Where did the years go? You were just bringing your child home from the hospital, and now they are walking into a building with big kids who bear a striking resemblance to giants compared to your little one. This is the big Kahuna, starting kindergarten. Before you know it, your child will be in first grade and you’d better have a college account ready to go. Meanwhile, here are some books to help make the transition to kindergarten a smooth one:
Mom, It’s My First Day of Kindergarten! By Yun Hyewon.
A five year old boy comforts his mother as he sets out on his first day of real school.
Kindergarten Rocks! by Katie Davis.
Dexter is all ready for school. However, his stuffed dog, Buster, is having some worries about how the day will go.
Kindergarten Diary, by Antoinette Portis.
Annalina’s diary entries reflect her feelings as she goes from being afraid to go to kindergarten to loving being part of school, in just her first short month.
Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick.
Kindergarten provides unique challenges for a young buffalo who is trying his very best to get along in school.
The Night Before Kindergarten, by Natasha Wing.
Set in the form of a poem based on “The Night Before Christmas,” children get ready for school and are as excited by the new experience as if Santa was coming.
Kindergarten Countdown, by Anna Jane Hays.
Rhyming text follows a little girl as she counts down activities and days to get ready for her first day of kindergarten.
Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten, by Toni Buzzeo.
A little girl who loves adventure must learn to follow rules, but it is all part of the excitement of starting kindergarten.
All of these kindergarten kick-off books can be borrowed from the Hoboken library or from the BCCLS library system.
-Written by Lois Rubin Gross, Senior Children’s Librarian
This is the last post in a three-part series that complement special story times to be held at the Hoboken Public Library in August for children starting school for the first time.
Hoboken Library Staff Picks 
Inspiring post!