10 of the Best Books for the End of the Year

Last updated on May 12th, 2024 at 05:58 pm

How many days of school do you left? We are at less than 30 days! Time seems to fly during these last days of school and I intend to make every minute count as we wind down the school year. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a litttle fun!

One way I like to have a little fun is by adding some read alouds that are not provided and having to be analyzed through the use of a curriculum. Here are 10 of the best books I’ve found for reading to students near the end of the year, plus a bonus 11th book added this year!

1. Last Day Blues by Julie Danneberg- At the beginning of the year I like to read First Day Jitters by the same author. This book has the same characters and takes place, if you haven’t guessed, on the last day of school. It ends on a funny note and is a way for students and teachers to share their end of the year feelings.

2. Do Not Bring Your Dragon to the Last Day of School by Julie Gassman- I have not read the other stories in this series, but this one is sure to make your students giggle. It is another rhyming tale, which are always fun to read aloud, that follows the events of a child on the last day of school and how the dragon makes them more difficult.

3. Goodbye For Now by Madison Rowe- This book reflects on the school year opening up the opportunity for you to reflect in the schook year with your students. You could even read it and then have students create a memory book of the year. Here’s a free one from Teachers Pay Teachers to give you some ideas: End of Year Memory Book

4. A Letter From Your Teacher on the Last Day of School by Shannon Olsen- This is another book that reflects of the school year. It is told from the perspective of the teacher and near the end invites the students to come back and visit.

5. The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan- This one is for students in upper elementary. It is told in verse and is a bit sad. My son said he really enjoyed it, even though it was sad, when his teacher read it to his class.

6. First Grade, Here I Come! by Nancy Carlson- This one, as the title suggests, would be for kindergarteners going into the first grade. I like to read this one at the end of the year to give students a taste of what first grade will be like. I, also, read it after we take a field trip to a first grade classroom in the building to meet a first grade teacher and take a tour of the classroom. This will help to ease some anxiety your students may have about leaving kindergarten.

7. Your Future is Bright by Corey Finkle- An optimistic book that shares what is possible for students and encourages them to dream BIG!

8. The Night Before Summer Vacation by Natasha Wing- This one gets students ready for summer! It follows in the tradition of the other “The Night Before…” books with a rhyming story that describes what is going on to get ready for summer vacation. Perhaps your students might like to try their hand at writing a night before story, too. Or with younger students, an interactive writing. It could be what they do the night before summer vacation or choose another night before event to write about.

9. And Then Comes Summer by Tom Brenner- A book to celebrate the coming of summer! Students could after write/draw about what they plan do over the summer.

10. On the First Day of Summer Vacation by Tish Rabe- This book follows the pattern of “The 12 Days of Christmas.” It shares ideas for all the fun things students could do over the summer!

11. Mrs. McBloom, Clean Up Your Classroom! by Kelly DiPucchio- A heart-warming story about a teacher who is about to retire. This teacher has collected many items over her many years of teaching. Find out how her room finally gets cleaned up!

These books could be read aloud or most of them you can find on YouTube and can be played for students on your interactive whiteboard. I hope you and your students enjoy these books! Please let me know in the comments which ones you tried or if you have any others to add to this list of books for the the end of the year. If you liked this book list, be sure to check out my other lists, including the Top 10 Books for Teaching About Difficult Emotions.