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Back to School 2021:
Books to Support Learning, Social-Emotional Wellness, & More

by the Brightly Editors

back-to-school-resources
Illustration credit: Penelope Dullaghan

Kids across the country are heading back to the classroom this school year. Many families are more than ready to go back. Just as many feel uneasy, worried about the pandemic’s effect on their children’s social development, emotional well-being, and education.

When asked about your most significant concerns ahead of the upcoming school year, a whopping 57% of you named social and emotional well-being — be it separation issues with little ones during drop-off or the elevated anxiety levels of older kids. And after a year and a half of compromised learning, it’s no surprise that over a quarter of survey respondents are worried about kids falling behind academically, with some additionally concerned over potential exposure to the coronavirus at school.

In this still unprecedented environment, families are clearly seeking solutions to support the health, safety, learning, and socio-emotional needs of their children. With that in mind, our back to school content this year not only aims to get kids excited for the new school year but also to support families no matter how they may be feeling about heading back to the classroom. Whether you’re looking for tips to help ease separation anxiety, workbooks to supplement learning, or empathetic reads for anxious tweens and teens, we have everything you need to start the 2021-2022 school year off strong.