Rather than spending $30 for a backpack at Target or Walmart that *may* last your kid through one school year, how about a durable, and amazingly stylish Tumi bag that could last a decade? They’re on sale today at Amazon (backpack, messenger bag, or a really cool sling bag), and through they’re not cheap, the quality is there to make this a real value.
UPDATE: The backpacks appear to be sold out. Now only messenger and sling bags available.