Going to school for the first time, or going back to school, can be a scary experience for many children, but especially for those who are afraid they won't be accepted for being different. These four titles can help reassure children that classrooms are welcoming to all.

New School for Mouse by Fynisa Engler. illus. by Ryan Law. Lawley. ISBN 9781958302392. 
PreS-Gr 2–A tender story about a young mouse who is sent to live with a foster family and attend a new school away from his home and friends. Mouse faces overwhelming feelings of anxiety on his first day of school, but soon makes friends with a rabbit classmate who is deaf and also feeling lonely. VERDICT A nice addition to collections that are looking for more books with representation of characters who live in foster homes.

We Belong to the Drum by Sandra Lamouche. ISBN 9781459834354.
––––. We Belong to the Drum/mistikwaskihk kitipêyimikonaw. tr. into Cree by Dolores Greyeyes Sand. ISBN 9781459834385.
ea vol: illus. by Azby Whitecalf. Orca.
PreS-Gr 3–When his mother first leaves him at daycare, Nikosis cries, body rigid with fear. His mother asks the daycare teacher to play a CD of powwow music. The teacher complies and passes out drums so the other children can play along. When ­Nikosis hears the music he associates with family and cultural identity, he feels welcome. VERDICT ­Offering an appreciative glimpse of Cree culture and traditions, and a gentle message of ­inclusion, this is a welcome addition to the “first day of school” shelves in school and public ­libraries.

[Read: 7 Books that Take on Back-to-School Mayhem]

 Mina ­Belongs Here by Sandra Niebuhr-Siebert. illus. by Lars Baus­. Floris. ISBN 9781782508113. 
PreS-Gr 2–A beautifully simple story about a young immigrant girl’s experience going to a new school in a new country and speaking a new language. Mina’s origin country and her new country are purposely left ambiguous so that this story could be applicable to many different immigrant experiences. VERDICT The use of lyrical and uplifting text combined with gorgeous artwork masterfully tells a story of a young child struggling in a new environment and eventually gaining self-confidence and friendship of others.

 Bitsy Bat, School Star by Kaz Windness. illus. by author. S. & S./Paula ­Wiseman. ISBN 9781665905053. 
PreS-Gr 2–On the first night of school, Bitsy Bat worries that she is not ready. The classroom is too bright, too noisy, and Bitsy is the only bat in a crowd of critters. Windness does not overtly label Bitsy as autistic, but uses her endearing winged protagonist to demonstrate how topsy-turvy the world can feel for a person with autism. VERDICT A thought-provoking story of inclusion to share beyond the first day of school; every library will want to purchase this book.