5 Value Book Packs for Back to School

After a few relaxed months of pool time, popsicles, and play, kids can be in for culture shock when it comes to hitting the books for school. That’s why it’s important to keep up the reading momentum during the summer and gradually reintroduce them to exciting stories and intriguing new facts before that first bell rings. This will ensure that they dust off learning skills like reading comprehension, critical thinking, and vocabulary, and will be prepared for a successful, happy year ahead.

Start off with these best selling book packs and collections.

Owl Diaries Collection

Join little owl Eva in her home of Treetopolis as she and her friends go on all kinds of fun adventures! From learning to take care of a new pet to babysitting, Eva chronicles all of her experiences in her very own diaries. This Branches series is perfect for beginning readers who are ready to graduate from picture books to early chapter books. 

Dragon Masters Boxed Set

If your child has been mastering picture books lately, and will start tackling chapter books this school year, provide a jumpstart with this wildly fun and firey pack of books designed specifically for newly independent readers. In this series, 8-year-old Drake is taken to King Roland’s castle to learn how to become a Dragon Master, and he meets three other trainees — Ana, Rori, and Bo. They must connect with their dragons and uncover the creatures’ special powers, but does Drake have what it takes? (If your child loves reading about mighty and magical creatures, be sure to also check out these books about dinosaurs and unicorns.)

Who Would Win? Value Set 

Get your young learner excited about science with this fascinating collection of readers! The perfect foray into nonfiction that gets even the most antsy kids to sit still and read, these books put famous animals head to head to find out who would win in battle — think tarantulas versus scorpions, whales versus giant squids, and lions versus tigers. All the while, it teaches fascinating facts about animal science. For instance: Did you know a giant squid can be 60 feet long and weigh 450 pounds?   

The Bad Guys Collection

Ideal for kids who love adventure and action, this value set is packed with hilarity, memorable characters, and thrilling plots. This graphic novel series by best selling author Aaron Blabey is perfect for striving readers, who will love the detailed illustrations and easy-to-follow storylines. The cast of characters — Mr. Wolf, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark, and Mr. Snake — will provide your child with laughter while they sharpen their vocabulary and reading comprehension. 

I Survived Series Pack

This award-winning series by Lauren Tarshis tells stories of children overcoming great odds during history's worst disasters. Filled with edge-of-your-seat thrills, this series will engage your child and have them enthralled until the last page as they read about events like the Revolutionary War, the Galveston Hurricane, and many more. 

Get ready for your child to go back to school with our guide — it's full of book recommendations (like the best books for preschoolers), teacher tips, homework help, and more resources for a successful school year.

Shop more book sets below! You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store, where you can get free shipping on book-only orders over $25.