6 Back to School Read Alouds for a Safe, Inviting Classroom Environment

Are you looking for books to help create a safe environment for your students? Read Alouds are a great way to learn and have discussions about being inclusive and welcoming to ALL. Check out these great 6 read alouds below. Click the photos or title to find each book on Amazon (affiliate links).

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold & Suzanne Kaufman

I always start the first day of school with this book! It is such a great way to communicate to students that they are all welcome in my class. Before even talking about routines and expectations, you need to create a safe environment for your students. If they don't feel safe and welcomed, teaching routines and expectations won't matter - students cannot learn in an unsafe, stressful environment.

Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen and Sandie Sonke

In addition to All Are Welcome , this book helps strengthen your classroom community. It helps to teach that in our class, everyone is free to be themselves and make mistakes. Students know they don't need to be embarrassed to be authentic and try their best because our class (family) will always support one another.

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael López

It's no secret that many students are scared and nervous on their first day of school (and some are even scared to try their best). There are a lot of reasons students are scared - they are afraid no one will like them, that they won't make friends, etc. Even as adults, it's hard to put ourselves out there and allow people to get to know us. Jacqueline Woodson's lyrical text reminds us all that we are all different and, yes, it is scary to put ourselves out there, but when we have the courage to move forward anyway, it can be a magical and rewarding thing!

I Believe I Can by Grace Byers

I Believe I Can by Grace Byers (also from I Am Enough) is an inspirational story about believing in yourself. Teach your students that they can do anything they put their mind to, as long as they believe that they can. This is the second book from Grace Byers and pairs so well with her first book I Am Enough.

We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

It's the first day of school - you have to throw in some fun books as well! This story follows Penelope Rex on her first day of school. She is the only dinosaur in the class and doesn't yet understand that you can't eat your classmates! Such a fun read to get your students laughing and having fun!

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson is at it again! This is one of my all time favorite books because it doesn't have a happy ending and truly teaches a great lesson! You may be thinking, "why would I share a book with my students that doesn't have a happy ending?" Just hear me out! In this book Chloe and her friends won't play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to play with them, they reject her. Eventually, Maya moves away. It isn't until a kindness lesson from her teacher about how small acts of kindness create ripples and make the world a better place that Chloe realizes she made a mistake. She comes to school the next day ready to be nicer to Maya, but Maya never shows up. Chloe realizes she will never get the chance to make things right with Maya. This story shows how powerful our words are and how sometimes, we cannot change our mistakes, but we can learn from them. Truly a powerful read that will tug at your heart strings!