Books About the Last Day of School

The last day of school is coming up soon! June 28 is officially the last day of classes for most Calgary Catholic Schools, and the majority of Calgary Public elementary students finish on June 30. While the last day of school is exciting, it can be bittersweet. Most kids are thrilled at the thought of long days spent playing and relaxing, but it is not always easy to say goodbye to classmates, teachers, and familiar routines. It can be an especially tough time for kindergartners, who face moving up to full days of classes and "big kids schoolwork". Since books are a great way to help kids express and identify their emotions, I thought I would share with you some of my favourite "end of school" books.

"The Last Day of Kindergarten" by Nancy Loewen is a charming book that perfectly expresses the mixed emotions many kindergarten students feel at the end of the year. The narrator of the story is a kindergartener who wishes it was the first day of school instead of the last so she could experience all of the fun moments of the year over again. When her teacher reminds the class of the exciting things they have to look forward to during summer vacation and first grade, the narrator realizes that while moving on can be sad, graduation and vacation are pretty exciting too! Filled with bright, vivid illustrations, this is a perfect book to spark discussions about fears or sadness kids may have about the end of school, and to find out what they are most looking forward to during the summer and the next school year.

"When It's the Last Day of School" by Maribeth Boelts is written from the perspective of a young boy determined to follow all of the rules on the last day of school: things like not talking during silent reading, and remembering to thank the lunch ladies and "tell them that it's a good lunch, even if it's not". By the end of the book, he is ready to explode from the excitement of summer vacation, and the effort it has taken to be good during the day. It perfectly reflects the way many kids feel and behave as they try to make it through that very last day.

"No More Pencils, No More Books, No More Teacher's Dirty Looks!" is part of the "Gilbert and Friends" series of books by Diane deGroat. It is one my favourite end of the school year books because it addresses a topic that many others don't: the worry an awards assembly can cause. Gilbert, the narrator, is afraid that he won't receive anything during the ceremony because he is not the best at anything. The book celebrates the qualities that make each individual student special, and has a sweet message about the importance of friendship.

In "Last Day Blues" by Julie Danneburg, Mrs. Hartwell's students fear that she will be sad and miss them during the summer. They try to agree on the perfect gift they can give her to cheer her up. They come up with something just in time, but on the very last day of school they still worry about what a difficult time she and the other teachers must be having. Meanwhile, back at the school, the teachers aren't quite crying. "Last Day Blues" is funny, sweet, and accurate depiction of the mixed emotions the last day of school can bring to both students and staff.

momstown places a strong emphasis on early literacy as part of its educational curriculum for children aged 0-5. Our kids and baby book clubs and parent resources help families make reading a part of their every day. Check out the momstown webpage for more great book suggestions to share with your kids!