Next week my eldest daughter starts 2^nd grade. While she is ecstatic to be heading back to school (both her best friends are in her class this year, and she can’t wait to show off her new red and black cardigan—why yes, she is the child of a librarian), I am a little disappointed. My schedule often means that my day off, Friday, she is in school and her lazy Saturdays are spent at her grandma’s house while I am at work.

Despite my distress, I know my daughter is looking forward to this new year. Because she has moved past picture books, we picked out some books for newly independent readers about heading back to school for her to cozy up with.

My Weird School Series: Dan Gutman’s series follows the crazy happenings at Ella Mentry School. With multiple titles, these books follow a group of classmates headed by AJ as they deal with wacky teachers, staff and parents. Teachers and educators can sign up on the author’s website to receive the weird classroom club newsletter with ideas and activities for educational fun.

The School is Alive (Eerie Elementary Series): If you love slightly scary, creepy books, then the Eerie Elementary series is for you. This series has a ton of action and plot lines that are just a little scary, but not enough to give kids (or you) nightmares. The School is Alive is the first in the series and follows new student Sam as he teams up with other kids to fight back against the creepies at their school. Not just great for going back to school but for getting ready for Halloween!

The One and Only Stuey Lewis: Stories From the Second Grade is a collection of linked short stories about the one and only Stuey Lewis. Stuey might not be the bravest or coolest kid around, but he can do anything if he just tries, and tries again—even making it through the second grade! Stuey is funny and endearing and covers lots of secret worries that some big kids might have about school but are too nervous to talk about.

September Sneakers is the 9^th book in the Calendar Mysteries and is about the younger siblings of the A to Z Mysteries Detectives. Over the summer the kids have been in charge of watching the 1^st grade pet hamster, but when they get ready to bring her back on the first day of school they discover that she has gone missing! More than that, lots of stuff around the neighborhood has gone missing, and it’s up to the kids to figure out who, or what, is doing it!

Natalie is a Children’s Library Assistant at CLP – Sheraden, and really only got the job so she could enjoy the perks (did yinz know about the free books?). Brevity is not her strong suit, so unless you want to waste your lunch hour, stay clear of her.