The school year is just around the corner.  We’ve rounded up our favorite backpacks, and we didn’t forget the little guys!  We’ve included wee-sized backpacks for those just starting preschool (including our Henry…where did the time go?) and backpacks for older kids, too. Pottery Barn has some ridiculously cute little backpacks this year, including the rocket (left) and the owl (bottom left).  Keep in mind that as preschool bags, they are sized very small to keep kids from trying to carry too much and possibly harming their backs.  I’ve personally had a few chats with my two-year-old about how he really doesn’t need to bring fifty Hot Wheels with him, even if they do all fit into his backpack, so this make sense to me. Skip Hop has their zoo pack collection, and frankly, every single one is so cute I want to bring ALL of them home with me!  Here we have the penguin ($20, below), but again, even the bee backpack is adorable (and I am terrified of bees).  The bags seem very durable and are sized nice and small to avoid back problems.  

We also love the water bottle pocket on the side. The Children’s Place has some sweet (and affordable) backpacks waiting to be filled with a change of clothes and a snack.  We really like the girly monkey (up, middle)normally $18.95, on sale for $11.99) and the friendly dog (upper right, also on sale, marked down from $18.95 to $11.99).the best backpack in tf2 These Beatrix bags are sure to get a lot of attention for the cute appliques.  nike sb backpack ebayWe especially love the hungry shark (bottom left, $37.79)dell xps backpack price Garnet Hill has a plethora of cute, highly rated backpacks to choose from (we especially like the blue plaid, bottom left) and you’ll receive a free lunch pack with every backpack purchased, through September 4th.  teton backpack review

We love all the compartments-there’s a water bottle holder on the side, an mp3 player compartment, and plenty of room for colored pencils, markers, etc.   Okay, chances are pretty good your input on what kind of backpack to buy isn’t going to be readily accepted by a high-schooler.  gtr backpackHowever, if you’ve got a laid-back kid or you feel you need some say, here are some good options:x100s backpack The Eastpak Pak’r Backpack is durable (most Eastpak bags have a 30 year warranty), meaning it’s a great value.  We love the bird print-fun without being cutesy. This North Face Borealis (bottom left, $89) in Asphalt Grey is attractive and rugged enough to last through high school all the way to pre-college backpacking.  It has a safety whistle on the chest buckle, a laptop sleeve, and it’s even endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

The Vans Axiom Backpack (bottom right) has a timeless style, and has several features that make it a winner, including the laptop compartment.  One of its most useful qualities is that it boasts an audio pocket with an audio port hidden underneath the handle.  Brady Murdough, 6, was surprised to find she couldn’t order one of these Pottery Barn Kids backpacks with a dragon patch, instead of the “girl” options seen here. (Photo: Pottery Barn Kids)Six-year-old Brady Murdough of San Francisco loves dragons and purple. But when she tried to customize a Pottery Barn Kids backpack combining the two recently, the company wouldn’t allow it. Because the purple backpack is for girls, it says, and the dragon patch — unlike the fairy, heart, and rainbow patch options — is for boys.“I can’t tell you how disappointed I am in the gender stereotyping that is going on within your company,” Brady’s mom, Sarah Murdough, wrote on the Pottery Barn Kids Facebook page on Aug. 14.

She then describes her unsuccessful attempt to get the dragon patch on the turquoise-and-plum (“presumably girl colors”) backpack.STORY: Target Ditches Gender Labels on Kids’ Products“Seriously? To get the dragon patch, you have to order a ‘boy’ colored backpack (green/navy/white),” she wrote. “I called and spoke with three representatives, all of whom said you can’t mix and match. I tried to explain that I wasn’t mixing and matching from different styles, and that the patches were available on the SAME STYLE BACKPACK but in different colors. Still the answer was no.” She went on to tell the company a bit about her daughter — how she loves art and soccer and wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up.STORY: Brave Daughter Inspires Unique Clothing Line for Girls“Why does PBK decide what girls like and what boys like?” she asks. “Do you know each child personally? Why are you limiting their decisions and forcing such basic and antiquated gender norms on them?

Why can girls not get green and navy backpacks and boys can’t get turquoise or plum? Who are you to decide this for our children? Also, what does it say to girls that they can’t get dragon, football or spaceship patches? Are they not allowed to be interested in science fiction, sports or space? Is this really 2015? Is this really what we [are] offering our children?”Pottery Barn Kids’ “boy” backpacks. Many supporters responded to her post, often sharing the eclectic preferences of their own children. “My daughter loves horses, princesses, painting and the colors purple and pink. But she also loves superheroes, her Lego monster truck, the Green Bay Packers and Hot Wheels cars,” noted one mom. Another posted, “My daughter Ella loves the color pink, princesses, AND trucks, aliens, and dinosaurs. Her twin brother, Logan, loves the color blue, trucks, monsters, superheroes, AND he loves butterflies, baby dolls, and cooking.” Sarah tells Yahoo Parenting that all the input has been “amazing,” and that she’s been surprised about the amount of attention they’ve received.

“I didn’t expect anything like this to happen,” she says. “But it has been fantastic to see. PBK has actually been great about it, too.”In fact, Sarah reported in an update posted to Facebook, a Pottery Barn Kids representative quickly contacted her, thanking her for her feedback and letting her know that the company would be making changes regarding the boy-girl options of their products soon. She also offered Brady a complimentary backpack in any style she wanted, which Sarah politely declined and asked, instead, for PBK to make a donation to kids in need. The representative then agreed to do both. “So a plum/turquoise striped backpack with a dragon patch is on its way!” Sarah noted in her post. “There is great excitement at my house!”But as of Tuesday, reports CBS San Francisco’s ConsumerWatch, “customer service reps still refused to honor a request for a boy patch on a girl backpack.”Pottery Barn Kids did not immediately respond to Yahoo Parenting’s requests for more details about how and when the changes would take effect.

Based on its website, though, the company has its work cut out for itself, as items including quilts and sheets, as well as general nurseries and bedrooms, are categorized by “boy” and “girl” (in addition to “unisex”). The exchange between Sarah and the company came just days after Target made its much-buzzed-about announcement that it would ditch gender labels for kids in its home and toys sections (but not in its clothing aisles). “We heard you, and we agree,” the corporation announced in a statement on Aug. 10. “Right now, our teams are working across the store to identify areas where we can phase out gender-based signage to help strike a better balance.”Dr. Christia Brown, professor of psychology at University of Kentucky and author of “Parenting Beyond Pink and Blue,” tells Yahoo Parenting that these seemingly small policies are important “because they can teach children important lessons about themselves.” As she explains it, “These policies teach children that what they like and how they play must be determined and dictated by their gender and that, if they have diverse or unique interests, then something is wrong with them.