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Books Can Help Kids Going To School For First Time

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It's back to school time.  For some kids, it will be the first time away from home and in the classroom. It can be a difficult experience, according to librarian Amy Schardein.

"If the children haven't been to preschool and they haven't been doing prep in any sort of school environment, it can be a very jarring transition for them to be away from their parents for that long, and to be out of their homes, the most familiar environment," Shardein says. 

Schardein, a children's librarian for the Kenton County Public Library, says one thing that can ease the transition is books.

"If you go to your local library and ask about books for going back to school, they can point you to a great many titles," she says. "You can find these books anywhere." 

Schardein says in addition to helping with the change, reading strengthens the bonds between children and their parents.

"Reading is always the best opportunity to connect with your child. You're sharing that story together while you're building their early literacy and reading skills."

The Kenton County Public Library has compiled a list of back-to-school books

Schardein says they also have books that can help kids going into new grades and into new schools.

"For older children, they face a different set of problems," she says. "For children going to middle school is a particularly nervous transition for them. And there are lots of series set in middle school. A lot of them talk about the drama of middle school.

"'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' comes to mind," she says.

"There's a lot of funny and good stories about starting a new school or making new friends or just being in a new environment. You can find them at every level."

Bill Rinehart started his radio career as a disc jockey in 1990. In 1994, he made the jump into journalism and has been reporting and delivering news on the radio ever since.