Every student deserves to start a new school year with confidence, and what better way to help kids prepare for the leap from summer to school than . . . you guessed it—books! Common themes in many of the books below are inclusivity and how to be a good friend, particularly to those who are different from you. Several titles here also offer remarkable examples of courageous and determined people, whose stories can inspire your students to blaze their own trail this school year. Other topics, like the first day of school, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness, will help send students back to your classrooms and libraries with self-assured steps.