It’s hard to believe summer is almost gone. It seems we just received third trimester report cards, but this week my girls have been running to the mailbox each day to see if their classroom assignments have arrived.

In a couple weeks, the Lil’ Princess enters a new school. The Lil’ Diva is more concerned she won’t have friends in any of her classes. They are dealing with different issues as they prepare for the upcoming school year. Maybe you or your children are also coping with back-to-school concerns. Here are a few books that might help.

“There’s so much to do in school, and Clifford the Small Red Puppy wants to try it all. From finger-painting, to making cookies, Clifford has many hilarious misadventures that make him even more loveable than ever!”

“A charmingly illustrated book, Keeping School Cool! speaks about issues schoolchildren deal with every day: learning, teachers, homework, getting along with others, and feeling safe. In language young children can understand, author Michaelene Mundy offers empathy and reassurance, along with practical problem-solving tips. This little book helps to pinpoint problems and give kids the tools they need to keep school cool! Recommended for ages 5 to 8.”

This book is written with a Christian worldview.

“In this adorable tale, Penny takes us along with her on her first day of first grade. With a yummy lunch and a best friend with a matching t-shirt, she’s prepared for everything! What happens when Penny and her friend are in different classrooms? Will Penny’s new friend be just as great as her old one? Recommended for ages 4-8.”

“Life can be hard. Especially when you’re in middle school. It also can be hard to understand what your faith is all about–and keep it strong when you face the trials and temptations that come along with being a teenager.

My Faith will give you all the tips and secrets you need to really grasp your faith and keep hold of it. You’ll get the inside scoop on things like God’s story, the Bible, faith and doubt, church, and what it means to be a Christian. This book is filled with short and fun-to-read devotional-style pointers along with humorous stories from the authors. Plus there are quotes and questions from students just like you. After reading My Faith, you’ll be ready to face the challenges of middle school with a strong faith.”

“Almost everyone hated middle school. It’s a very tough time for adolescents. This book is specifically geared to younger teens — the ones still worrying about puberty, cliques, discovering the opposite sex, and figuring out who they are. Meant for students ages eleven to fourteen, stories cover regrets and lessons learned, love and ‘like,’ popularity, friendship, tough issues such as divorce, illness, and death, failure and rising above it, embarrassing moments, bullying, and finding something you’re passionate about. The stories provide emotional support, humor, and inspiration for the young teens making their way through the tumultuous middle school years.”

“The quality of your child’s education isn’t programmed by the school board. It begins at home! School psychologist Wesley Sharpe offers practical, success-oriented strategies to help you improve your child’s attitude, principles and values. He covers such topics as making learning fun, fostering creativity, ADHD, special education, homeschooling and more. With up-to-date sidebars, quizzes, tables and exercises, The ABCs of School Success will help you equip your child to receive the quality education you want them to have.”

“In this groundbreaking work, James Garbarino, the best-selling author of Lost Boys, and Ellen deLara uncover the staggering extent and consequences of schoolyard bullying and classroom hostility, flat-out contradicting the nursery rhyme that ‘words can never hurt you.’  The authors then present evidence that teenagers–hundreds of whom they interviewed–have the solution to school violence, if only adults would listen.  Bullying has long been regarded as a way of life.  Ever since Columbine, however, student reactions to harassment and intimidation are, finally, driving parents to consider this phenomenon seriously.  This book teaches parents to accept reality (bullying occurs daily), challenge old beliefs (‘Kids will be kids’ or ‘If I lived through it, so can they’), and ally with other parents to take on the school system.  Revelatory and ultimately uplifting, this book doesn’t just highlight the problem, but offers steps that can be taken–must be taken–to solve it.”