Believe it or not, it's that time of the year again. And going back to school is made easier with books about other kids' back-to-school woes and triumphs. These are some of the newest end-of-summer reads.

"The School for Good and Evil: The Last Ever After" by Soman Chainani; HarperCollins; 655 pages; $16.99.

The epic conclusion of the novel series R.L. Stine called "a wild and dangerous fairy tale ride" is here, before it's made into a sure-to-be-a-hit film adaptation. The massive, 655 page book tells of main characters Sophie and Agatha as they take on the ideas of "new vs. old," as stories are told and re-told, as they evolve and change with new characters and discover you can't really have a future without the past.

The school theme figures in as Sophie stays behind with a School Master, while Agatha is whisked away to try to stop Evil's deadly reign. The themes of good and evil battle in this sweeping tale, with action, adventure, laughter, romance and tons of fairy-tale twists.

Re-imagined fairy tales and strange fantasy make "The School for Good and Evil" series funny and frightening, perfect for kids ages 8 and up who love that stuff.

"The Secrets to Ruling School (Without Even Trying)" by Neil Swaab; Amulet Books/Abrams; 240 pages; $13.95.

Got a kid apprehensive about starting or returning to middle school? This funny cartoon-filled book tackles all the concerns pre-teens and young teens have — "terrifying bullies! Friends! Or lack thereof! Acing tests without studying! Psycho teachers!"

The guide is a character named "Max Corrigan," middle school expert and life coach who starts off by saying, "You're about to enter the worst place in the entire world." Neil Swaab's engaging story will hook and empower students with laughter and funny relatable experiences.

Max's "trade-marked One-Week Survival Plan" aims to teach readers how to win over not just one but all the groups in school, from "the preps to the band geeks." Part narrative and part how-to, Swaab aims to engage even the most reluctant readers with his reading formula reminiscent of video gameplay.

"Maybelle Goes to School" by Katie Speck; illustrated by Paul Ratz de Tagyos; Henry Holt; 58 pages; $16.99.

This early reader chronicles the droll adventures of cockroach Maybelle, who can't resist cake, sneaks a sample at a school bake sale and ends up on an unexpected field trip. Dodging human feet, escaping a tarantula and helping her flea friend Henry get into a pair of pants are only a smidgen of Maybelle's funny adventures.

With a smattering of black-and-white sketches, short chapters and sentences and giggle-inducing situations, "Maybelle Goes to School" (and the two other Maybelle books) are ideal choices for chapter book beginners.

"The Bingity-Bangity School Bus" by Fleur Conkling; pictures by Ruth Wood; G+D Vintage/Penguin; 20 pages; $7.99.

First penned in 1950, this cool vintage tale of banged-up Busby the school bus is heartwarming and delightful. Busby loves banging around town carrying children to school, but the adults think he's ready for the junkyard. Thankfully, the kids come to the rescue and convince the townspeople to give him a spiffy upgrade. Finally, Busby is shiny and like new again, and all is well.

G+D Vintage is a Penguin Publishing imprint that's doing a fabulous job returning vintage children's books to modern hands.

"Just a Teacher's Pet" by Mercer Mayer; HarperCollins; 32 pages; $16.99.

An "I Can Read: My First Shared Reading" book, this 40th anniversary edition of Mercer Mayer's Little Critter tale is ideal for sharing with emergent readers. The book, with huge lettering and bright colors, tells the story of a jealous Little Critter, who's not happy with a teacher's pet. He soon changes his tune when the other student is nice to him, and realizes kindness is contagious.

To find out more about Lee Littlewood, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.