Welcome in the new school year with some of PEOPLE's picks for the best back-to-school books, including picture books and middle grade novels.

Back to School, Backpack! Simon Rich, illus. by Tom Toro. Little, Brown, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-316-62834-1. Ages 4–8. The start of a new school year is just as nerve-wracking for backpacks as ...

It’s time to fill the backpack with new notebooks and pencils, and welcome another school year. The new year brings opportunities, but sometimes it also brings worries. What if you can’t find ...

There is a unique and palpable energy around back-to-school season. For some, it’s the beginning of something brand-new and unexplored; for others, it’s a time for reinvention and much ...

Back-to-school time is here, so why not get your kids in the mood with some LGBTQ-inclusive picture books set in schools? There are now many such books, but here are a few of my favorites, across a ...

When the welcome-back-to-school letter pops up in my email, I’m not surprised. I’ve been in the school system long enough that I know the routine.

It’s time to get ready for school again! Here are two terrific new picture books that celebrate school and learning. First is “Get Ready for School” (2023, Albert Whitman and Co, written by ...

We’ve gathered a list of some back-to-school stories to help kids transition into the classroom. ... All are welcome here.” The book received a starred review from PW. On Our Way with Mr. Jay.