Reading some end of the year books together is the perfect way to help make this transition better for everyone. Whether you're a seasoned kindergarten teacher or about to finish your first year in first grade, reading aloud during the last week of school can help everyone process the change, celebrate the past year, and look forward to what’s next.

Read on for the perfect end of the year books to read to your students, as well as some companion activities!

These end of the year activities are ready to print and go! Get ready to make some core memories.

Click to jump to:

• Why The End Of The Year Transition Matters
• Why Read Alouds Are A Must For The End Of The Year
• End Of The Year Books To Try This Year
  • Getting Excited For The Future
  • Celebrating The Year
  • Saying Goodbye
• Tips For Reading End Of The Year Books
• Saying Goodbye To Your Students

Why the End of the Year Transition Matters

Students spend over 180 days in your classroom. That’s a long time for a young child. The routines, the friendships, the structure—all of it becomes a big part of their world. So, when the end of each school year comes, it’s not just the beginning of summer vacation; it’s also the end of a safe space.

Even kids excited for the next grade may feel nervous about leaving their teacher and classroom behind. For some, the last days of school can be tough. That’s why helping them mark the transition with some thoughtful, funny, or emotional end of the year read-alouds can make a real difference.

Teachers can also use this time to create rituals or class traditions that honor the past year. Think autograph books, goodbye letters, memory walls, or even a class awards day where everyone is celebrated. These small, consistent practices paired with great end of the year books can give closure and reinforce positive memories.

Why Read-Alouds Are A Must For The End Of The Year

Reading aloud is a daily part of many elementary classrooms, but during the final weeks of school, it becomes something more. It’s a way to slow down, reflect, and connect. A great book can open up conversations about change, growth, and saying goodbye.

End of the year books are also a great way to support young readers who may have complicated feelings about summer break. Some kids love it. Others dread it. Picture books about big transitions lets them know those feelings are okay.

And let’s be honest—we teachers need this too. Sharing a sweet end of the year book with your class gives you a chance to pause and feel all the things that come with saying goodbye to your students. It’s also a great reminder of why we love teaching in the first place.

End of the Year Books To Try This Year

There are so many special books out there, but these end of the year books are some of my favorite read-alouds to pull out in the final days. I’ve broken them down into a few categories to help you pick the perfect book for your classroom.

Some of these end of the year books also have wonderful companion activities to make your end of school celebrations even more fun!

Here are some end of the school year read alouds about getting excited for what's coming next, celebrating the year you've had together, and saying goodbye.

Getting Excited for the Future

It's so important to remind students that they have lots to look forward to at the end of the year. Even though they're time with you might be ending, you can show them that the future is bright and full of wonderful opportunities!

Our World Needs You

This sweet book reminds students that their unique gifts and talents are made to be shared with the world. Let students know that they are so special, and that you can't wait to see what they do next!

You can pair this book with this fun and inspiring craft and display, where students think about what they want to do for the world when they grow up.

The Night Before Summer Vacation

A heartwarming book wishing your students hope and joy as they move on from your classroom.

I Wish You Happiness

This book is a wish for a future filled with joy and purpose. Send your students off with a sweet message of love and happiness as they finish the year.

Summer Days

Get your students excited for summer with this book that celebrates the season of summer and all the things there are to look forward to!

Celebrating the Year

These end of school books are perfect for celebrating all the growth and learning you've done together over the year. You can use these to help your students reflect on their learning and how far they've come. I've also included some possible companion activities to use with them as well.

A Letter From Your Teacher On The Last Day Of School

A sweet message from a teacher on the last day of school, writing to her students about the amazing year they've had together.

I'm Glad I Was Your Teacher

A teacher reminiscing about all the wonderful memories her and her class have made together during the school year.

Memory Jars

This sweet story follows a little girl who wants to save every memory. It’s a great way to talk about all the moments that made this school year special.

Doing a memories craft is a great way to remember the year and celebrate the good times you've had together. Here is a memories flower craft where students share a favorite memory on each petal of the flower.

Saying Goodbye

These end of the year books are especially helpful to students who might be having a hard time saying goodbye at the end of the year. They emphasize that it's not really “goodbye”, it's just “see you later”!

Last Day Blues

This book is funny, relatable, and captures how students (and teachers!) feel during the last days of school. It’s also a great book to ease the emotions that come with change.

Goodbye For Now

A teacher says goodbye to her students and lets them know that they will still see her and she will still be cheering them on!

Instead Of Goodbye

A lovely book to help students who are having a hard time with saying goodbye. This story reminds students that this isn't the end, but instead it's a new beginning!

This yearbook is a great way to help younger students say goodbye to one another. Students swap booklets and draw a picture and write their name in their classmate's book. The perfect keepsake!

Tips for Reading End of the Year Books

Here are some things to keep in mind when you're choosing end of the year books to read with your class.

1. Choose books that fit your class vibe. Every group is different. Some might love a funny story like “Last Day Blues,” while others connect more with a sweet story like “Our Class Needs You”.
2. Use books as a jumping-off point. After reading “Memory Jars,” have your students create their own jars or write about their favorite memories. It’s a great way to reflect on the past year.
3. Make it part of your countdown. If you do an ABC countdown or another fun way to end the year, include a special book for each day.
4. Let the kids choose. Put out a few options and let your class vote on what to read. This gives them ownership and gets them excited.
5. Connect it to next steps. If you’re sending kids off to the next grade, middle school, or even high school, pick stories that get them thinking about the journey ahead.

Saying Goodbye

Reading end of the year books is more than just a way to fill time during those hectic last weeks of school. It’s a great way to honor your students' growth, say goodbye with love, and get them excited for new adventures.

Whether you’re flipping through picture books during the last day of school or sharing a sweet book during the final days of school, these stories can help everyone process the emotions that come with change. They remind us that each ending is also a beginning.

So go ahead—grab one of your favorite books, gather your young readers on the carpet, and make those last moments count. The end of the school year only comes once a year, and these end of the year books make it unforgettable.

Note: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. But rest assured, I only recommend the books I truly love and would use in my own classroom.

Have you seen my latest book yet? Our World Needs You is the perfect end of the year read aloud!

Which of these books are you going excited try this year? Let me know in the comments!
xoxo
Laura

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5 Activities For The End Of The School Year That Your Students Will Love!

The post 15 Must-Read End Of The Year Books For Students appeared first on Love Grows Learning.

• Conflict Resolution
• Being Inclusive
• Making New Friends
• Being a Kind Friend

If you're thinking “Yes they sure do!” then I highly recommend trying some of these children's books about friendship. These friendship books can be just the thing to give your students some reminders of how to be a good friend.

Looking for the best friendship picture books? Read on for my top picks!

Click to jump to…

• How To Use Friendship Picture Books
• Picture Books About Friendship
• Children's Books About Being a Good Friend
• Children's Books About Making New Friends
• Children's Books About Being Inclusive
• Children's Books About Friendship Problems
• Friendship Picture Books

How To Use Friendship Picture Books

I absolutely LOVE using children's books in my teaching whenever I can. This is true for academic areas, but even more so for social emotional learning topics.

You can use picture books about friendship anytime, but I find them to be especially useful…

1. In response to a specific problem you see popping up in your classroom. Then you can introduce the book by saying, “I've been noticing ____ happening a lot. Let's see what the characters in this book can teach us about it!”
2. To encourage students to be problem solvers. As you read, you might say, “I'm noticing characters in this book are having a lot of trouble with _____. What do you think they should do?”
3. As part of a monthly theme or focus. I love having a monthly focus for our social emotional learning work. For example, in December we read a lot about generosity and sharing. Friendship books are perfect for April, when all the drama drama starts to rear its ugly head!

There are lots of ways to weave these friendship read alouds into your day. Try using them during transitions, as part of your morning meeting, or even as a way to end the school day.

My favorite way is to have a designated time of the week for Social Emotional Learning lessons, and to use them in conjunction with your SEL work (you can check out the SEL Friendship Unit here!)

Okay, now let's dive into these friendship book choices!

Picture Books About Friendship

I'm so excited to share my very favorite friendship children's books! These are the best read alouds to pull out when your class is having a little friendship drama.

I've divided them into categories for you to make it easier to find what you need:

1. Being A Good Friend
2. Making New Friends
3. Being Inclusive
4. Fixing Friendship Problems

Children's Books About Being A Good Friend

Being a good friend is a skill that children have to practice over time. It takes a long time for some children to be able to put themselves in others' shoes, and to build the empathy of a true friend.

These read alouds are so helpful for students, because they give concrete examples of what friendship looks like. They are full of simple strategies that any child can try on the playground that same day.

My Way To Making Friends

In this story, the main character Melissa has trouble making friends. Melissa is very relatable to those students who may feel like they can never connect with their classmates.

Throughout the story, she learns some important strategies to help her overcome these challenges. In the end, the lessons she learns help her connect with others and find friendship.

Make a Friend, Be a Friend

This book is a helpful guide about all things friendship for kids. Full of clear and simple strategies, it can be a great starting place for students who have trouble making friends, or a great reminder for students who may have forgotten what friendship is all about.

It has sections on making friends, being a good friend, showing you want to be a friend, and fixing friendships – so you can jump to exactly what your students need most!

Teach Your Dragon To Make Friends

This is a very cute friendship book in the Teach Your Dragon series. Dragon is having trouble making friends, and he can't figure out what keeps going wrong. His friend helps him understand that friendship requires being kind and inclusive.

As Dragon learns to be a good friend, he practices various strategies that students can utilize too. I love this book because of the highly engaging pictures and the sweet friendship between a boy and his dragon.

The Kids' Book of Friends

This is one of the best friendship picture books as another helpful guide for students. It contains straightforward tips and strategies that will get students thinking about how they can be a better friend.

Children's Books About Making New Friends

Making new friends may seem like a “back to school” topic, but it is actually important to revisit all the time. In elementary school, friendships fluctuate constantly. I find that students are always shifting in who they are playing with.

For students who find that they've suddenly lost their best playmate, it can be a helpful reminder that they have the tools to make new friends at any point in the school year. These friendship picture books help students with strategies for doing just that.

Let's Play!

This friendship picture book shares the story of a new girl who is nervous about making friends. Luckily, her classmates know just how to make her feel welcome!

Words To Make A Friend

Two girls who speak different languages learn that making new friends doesn’t always need words. This is such a sweet book to show that friendship is powerful enough to overcome all kinds of barriers. And it can help your students feel brave enough to reach out to make new friends in all kinds of situations.

Can Cat And Bird Be Friends?

A sweet friendship book about a bird who decides to befriend a cat. The cat is a little hesitant at first, because after all – isn't he supposed to want to eat him? But this bird doesn't give up on this potential new friend!

Children's Books About Being Inclusive

We all wish our students could learn to be a little more inclusive, don't we? These friendship picture books will help remind your students that their actions matter, and that small acts of inclusivity can make a huge difference for a friend in need.

Words To Make A Friend

A poignant friendship book about what can happen when we aren’t inclusive and kind to new people. This book is a great conversation starter for talking about the power of our actions.

The Invisible Boy

In this story, a little boy with no friends helps makes a new student feel welcome. This book shows the power we have to make people feel seen and included.

The Big Umbrella

A sweet and funny story about a big umbrella where there is room for everyone.

Children's Books About Conflict Resolution

As teachers, we can end up spending a lot of energy on putting out fires between friends. This can look like helping friends communicate clearly, navigating apologies, and helping students see things from someone else's perspective.

But those are all skills that children can learn to be independent with! This next set of friendship picture books is perfect for helping your students navigate those inevitable friendship bumps.

The Sour Grape

This series is definitely one to add to your friendship picture books list. In this book, the Sour Grape always holds a grudges. He learns important lessons of friendship and forgiveness in this story.

Enemy Pie

A funny story that gives great ideas for turning an enemy into a friend.

My New Friend Is So Fun

My students go wild for Piggie and Gerald books! In this one, they learn to navigate some friendship bumps when Piggie finds a new friend to play with.

Friendship Picture Books

I hope these friendship picture books have given you lots of ideas for how to start doing some serious friendship work with your students. These topics are usually the biggest ones that pop up during the year, so it's a good idea to have these read alouds about friendship on hand!

And remember, these are the perfect books to revisit all year long. Pick one up when your students are having friendship troubles, or even just as a reminder to prevent any problems from popping up!

Which friendship book are you going to try out? Let me know in the comments!
xoxo
Laura

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The post 15 Friendship Picture Books Your Students Will Love appeared first on Love Grows Learning.

Read on for 15 growth mindset kids books recommendations.

This post may contain affiliate links. I make a small commission when you make a purchase using these links.

Growth Mindset Kids Books

Why teach with children’s books? For starters, picture books are one of the best ways to hold our students’ attention. If the storyline and characters are compelling, students won’t just listen, they’ll be invested in the story and the lessons it’s teaching. 

Plus, growth mindset is kind of a dense topic. It’s helpful for students to see it play out with characters in a story. Children’s books about growth mindset can showcase different characters struggling with and learning how to use their growth mindset to achieve their goals. Those types of examples are far more helpful than verbal explanations. 

Finally, students are more likely to remember what we teach when we use children’s books. As they hear the characters’ stories in growth mindset kids books, they relate to those characters. Then later, if they are faced with a similar situation, they’re more likely to remember and use their growth mindset strategies.

Growth Mindset Books For Kids

These books are my top picks for teaching growth mindset for children. Ranging from children to animals to facts to fantasy, these stories will give students a great foundation for what growth mindset is and how they can use it. I've divided these suggestions into five categories, to help you choose what kind of book would be most helpful for what your students need: Growing Pains, Fixed vs. Growth Mindset, Messages To Tell Myself, I Can't Do It YET, and Goal-Setting.

Growing Pains

These growth mindset kids books are all about the growing pains we experience when we try new things. The characters in these books struggle to master something new, and have to learn to persevere and embrace the mistakes they make.

She’s Got This

Zoe is so excited to learn gymnastics after watching it on TV. But when she comes to her first gymnastics class, she discovers that all that flipping and flying is a lot harder than it looks! Zoe has to learn lessons about mistakes, perseverance, and believing in yourself.

The Most Magnificent Thing

Determined to make a magnificent invention, a young girl works hard on creating something using her imagination and whatever materials she can find. But when she’s finished, her invention doesn’t look so magnificent. She has to deal with anger, frustration, and patience before she discovers that maybe she did make something magnificent after all.

Rosie Revere Engineer

Rosie has big dreams to become an inventor, but she hides it from her family. When Rosie finally shares an invention with her aunt, and it turns out to be a failure, she learns important lessons about mistakes and growth. 

Fixed Vs. Growth Mindset

Learning what a fixed mindset is versus a growth mindset can be so helpful for students as they try to incorporate perseverance and growth mindset into their learning. These growth mindset children's books explains these two ways of thinking in terms that a child can understand and really appreciate.

Fantastic Elastic Brain

A great book for explaining the science behind our brains and learning new things. This book uses kid-friendly language to explore the importance of trying new things and how practice really does help our brains get better at challenging tasks.

Bubblegum Brain

This book explains the difference between fixed mindset and growth mindset with fun characters “Bubblegum Brain” and “Brick Brain”. The story shows clearly how much we miss out when we decide not to try new things, and how being brave and making mistakes can lead to a lot more fun.

Making a Splash

In this book, Johnny and Lisa are learning to swim. They each experience different kinds of mindsets, and they learn how a growth mindset can help them learn new things.

Messages To Tell Myself

Part of practicing a growth mindset is sending yourself positive messages when things feel tough. These growth mindset books for kids provides concrete examples of positive affirmations to use when those negative messages start creeping in.

I Can Do Hard Things

This is a wonderful book that provides lots of positive affirmations that children can tell themselves. It explores the insecurities and doubts that children can face in different situations, and offers strategies to flip those into confidence-building moments.

My Strong Mind

This story follows the protagonist, Kate, as she faces different challenging situations. Kate offers a model for how we can use positive self-talk to help us embrace mistakes, persevere through difficulty, and remember to be grateful.

Beautiful Oops

This book celebrates mistakes as new possibilities. Rather than getting upset about a torn paper, a messed up brush stroke, or a mistake, we can turn it into something new and continue on.

I Can’t Do It, YET

The idea of YET can be very powerful for students feeling discouraged during new learning. Emphasizing this word can bring home the idea that just because we can't do it now, doesn't mean we won't get it with time. There are some wonderful growth mindset books for children that embrace this word.

The Magical Yet

This beautifully illustrated book shows the magic of trying new things that are still out of your reach. It encourages children to shift their mindset when things get tough. They can’t do it YET, but with practice and time, they’ll get there!

I Can’t Do That, YET

Enna struggles to believe in herself, and she doesn’t like trying hard things. After a special dream, she realizes that the possibilities for herself are endless, if she’s just willing to put in the work and not give up.

Not Yet

The main character in this story shows how you can go through your day with mistakes and frustrations, but understand that they are a part of learning and growing up.

Goal-Setting

Setting goals to learn new skills can be both exciting and scary. In these growth mindset kids books, the characters learn that it takes practice and bravery to conquer new learning.

Jabari Jumps

Jabari is ready to jump off the diving board, but he’s feeling nervous. After putting it off and making excuses, Jabari finally learns how to put his fear aside to reach his goal.

Whistle For Willie

Peter wants to whistle for his dog, Willie, but nothing but air comes out of his mouth when he tries. But Peter doesn’t give up – he keeps practicing and practicing, and he’s determined to reach his goal eventually.

The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do

Lou is afraid to try climbing a tree with her friends. She makes excuses and puts it off before finally deciding to face her fears. This story explores ideas of courage, making mistakes, perseverance, and support as we try to learn new things.

Growth Mindset For Kids

Hopefully, you were able to pick some favorite growth mindset books for kids that you’d like to try with your students. There are so many possibilities, so have fun! 

But you don’t have to stop there – there are lots of other ways to weave growth mindset into your classroom. Children’s books are a great place to start, but we can do more to make a growth mindset a permanent part of our teaching.

Classroom activities, anchor chart and bulletin board displays, and crafts can all help in creating a growth mindset classroom environment.

If you’re looking for more support, check out my Growth Mindset Curriculum.

Which books are you excited to try with your students? Tell me in the comments! 
xoxo 
Laura

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The post 15 Growth Mindset Kids Books Every Teacher Needs To Have In Their Library appeared first on Love Grows Learning.

Read on for 9 wonderful books to help children learn about setting boundaries in friendship!

(Looking for fun and engaging social skills activities for your classroom that are planned, low-prep, and ready to go? Click here to check out the bundle!)

Setting Boundaries In the Classroom

Setting boundaries is an important skill that students will need to learn as they navigate school settings. Sometimes, it’s a classmate getting into their personal space. Or it could be a friend who is taking advantage of them. These social situations are totally normal learning for our students. But we can help them by teaching them some skills to navigate these situations. 

Learning about setting boundaries and conflict resolution in school will help students build these important social skills. And these skills only get more important as we get older.

Children’s Books About Setting Boundaries

Children’s books are a wonderful tool to learn about lots of different social skills. When it comes to setting boundaries in friendships, it’s so helpful for students to see examples. Hearing an engaging story helps bring the example to life. Then students are more able to understand the strategies and how they might be able to use them too. 

I’m so excited to share these children’s books with you to help teach these important topics to students. These books fall into three categories: Setting Boundaries, Friendships, and Conflict Resolution.

This post includes affiliate links. If a purchase is made through one of these links, I may make a small commission.

Skills For Setting Boundaries

These books are wonderful for teaching general skills and strategies for setting boundaries. These can help children with setting boundaries in relationships, whether it be friends or others. 

Speak Up

A group of children go through their day, and we see the many opportunities for them to use their voices to speak up and help make the world a better place. This books helps children understand that they have the power to communicate and make changes. 

I Can Say No

This book emphasizes that children have the choice to say “no” in situations of safety, and also in situations with friends. This is a great book for those students who always go along with what other children suggest. Emphasizing that we all have the choice to say “no” is so important for our shyer students.

Speak Up, Wonder Pup

I like this book because it teaches specific skills for children to stand up for themselves. After reading this book, students have some real strategies that they can take away and try out later. The puppy characters are also highly engaging for young students.

Setting Boundaries In Friendships

These books are specific to setting boundaries with friends. With these books, students can understand that sometimes the people we are friends with aren’t always kind. It’s important to learn how to communicate and take of ourselves in those situations.

The Not So Friendly Friend

This book helps children navigate friendships that are sometimes toxic and hurtful. It can be hard to recognize when a friend’s actions are no longer friendly. In this story, the main character learns to make a decision about choosing to play with the people who treat her well.

Willow Finds a Way

Willow is a shy, quiet girl who has a loud and bossy friend. In this book, Willow learns how to speak up and stand up for herself. This book helps teach the fine line of when a more vocal friend is taking advantage of a quieter friend. 

Big Friends

Two friends learn how to become a trio when someone new wants to join their fun. Throughout the story, the characters deal with jealousy, hurt feelings, and feeling left out. A friendship trio is a common situation for children to experience, and this book offers tools for how to navigate this scenario.

Conflict Resolution With Friendships

Conflict resolution and setting boundaries go hand in hand, and students need support building these skills. If a child struggles with setting boundaries, they may also need help understanding conflict resolution. When friendship problems arise, learning to recognize the feelings of others and respond in a loving way is a helpful and important skill. Seeing the characters in these stories and the issues they face can help students remember those skills.

The Way I Act

This book shows that our actions have consequences, and that we need to learn to handle these consequences. A great read to help students take responsibility for their part in friendship conflicts.

How to Apologize

This book is full of examples of when and how to apologize, emphasizing the importance of an apology that comes from your heart. One of my biggest pet peeves is an insincere apology. I love that this book helps students understand the difference between real and fake apologies.

Sorry (Really Sorry)

A story of farm animals who are having a bad day. The animals learn that unhappiness can spread easily, but that apologizing can help everyone feel better again after hurt feelings. 

Teaching Children To Set Boundaries

Learning to set boundaries in relationships is a lifelong skill. And of course, these books are just the beginning. But any foundation we can lay for children is going to be helpful as they get older. The earlier we start talking about these important topics, the more equipped children are to handle these situations as they come up.

If you’re looking for more ideas on setting boundaries, you can check out my Social Skills Curriculum, which has crafts and an anchor chart on this topic.

Which book are you going to use first? Let me know in the comments!
Xoxo Laura

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The post 9 Wonderful Books About Setting Boundaries In Friendships For Children appeared first on Love Grows Learning.