First Day Jitters

This charming picture book tackles the universal experience of first-day anxiety with humor and heart, offering a gentle and relatable story for young students in kindergarten through third grade. Through its expressive ink-and-watercolor illustrations, the narrative follows Sarah Jane Hartwell as she grapples with her nervousness, providing a comforting mirror for children's own back-to-school worries. The story's clever structure and funny, insightful moments build empathy, showing kids that their feelings are completely normal.

What truly sets this classroom read-aloud apart is its surprise ending, a twist that both delights young readers and powerfully reinforces the book's core message. The included interactive elements—a Certificate of Courage and a First Day Memories Sheet—extend the experience beyond the pages, giving children a tangible reward and a way to process their own school memories. This teacher-approved resource is a wonderful tool for soothing first day jitters and building confidence for the school year ahead.