BOOKS THAT TEACH KINDNESS

Do you want your kids to learn how to be kinder in their interactions with others? Teaching kindness is hard. It’s not easy to teach empathy and compassion, especially in a society that often emphasizes competition over cooperation. Fortunately, there are great books for kids that teach kindness!

Reading kindness books to your children will teach them the importance of compassion and kindness. These books will appeal to both children and adults because they are humorous, colorful, educational, and entertaining. Each book discusses random acts of kindness and their positive impact on our everyday lives. 

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CHILDREN’S BOOKS ABOUT KINDNESS

There’s no better way to teach children about kindness than through books. Teach them what it means to make someone feel loved or appreciated by giving these titles a read!

Each Kindness

by Jacqueline Woodson

The heartwarming book Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson teaches children that small acts of kindness, such as smiling at a new classmate or holding open doors for others, are important ways to practice compassion without being preachy. The main character, Maya, learns that small gestures can brighten someone else’s day and that it is important to be a friendly face in a crowd!

This book is a must-read to teach children about indirect bullying and how we should treat one another with kindness. In this touching story, children will learn valuable lessons about friendship, kindness and forgiveness ! If you have younger children, this could be a great read-aloud! 

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ENEMY PIE

by Derek Munson

The narrator is having the best summer of his life until a new neighbor, Jermey Ross, moves in and becomes his number one enemy. He approaches his father for assistance, and luckily, his father had a surefire way to get rid of enemies, a secret recipe: Enemy Pie. However, spending an entire day playing with the enemy is part of the secret recipe! The boy ends up playing with his enemy, Jeremy Ross, and they have a great time together. And when it’s time to eat the pie, the boy is terrified that something bad will happen to his new friend. In the end, the boy not only gains a new friend, but he also learns a valuable lesson about getting to know new people before passing judgment.

This light – hearted yet endearing story teaches a valuable lesson about the challenges and ultimate rewards of making new friends.

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THE INVISIBLE BOY

by Trudy Ludwig

Kids are very sensitive to being excluded. They want to be a part of the group and have friends, but don’t know how or what they can do about it. Meet Brian, the invisible boy who wants to be included in things, but isn’t always noticed by others. However, when Justin, a new student arrives at school and no one wants to play with him. Brian steps in. And when Brian and Justin collaborate on a class project, Brian finds a way to shine.

This gentle story demonstrates how small acts of kindness can help children feel included and help them thrive.

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THOSE SHOES

by Maribeth Boelts

Everyone at school appears to be wearing those shoes, and Jeremy wants a pair of those. But his grandmother informs Jeremy that they don’t have room for “want”, just “need,” and what Jeremy needs are new winter boots. When his own pair of shoes fall apart at school, a guidance counselor gives Jeremy a old pair to wear, and Jeremy is determined than ever to have those new shoes, even if they are much too small from the thrift store. As Jeremy’s feet begin to hurt, he realizes the things he has – warm boots, a caring grandmother, and the opportunity to help a friend – are more valuable than the things he wants.

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A CHAIR FOR MY MOTHER

by Vera B Williams

Author Vera B. Williams has done an excellent job telling the story of a young girl and her mother trying to rebuild their lives after a fire has destroyed everything they own. As they made their way to a new apartment, several members of the community stopped by to give them donations, but they still didn’t have a big comfortable chair to rest in at the end of the day. After a lot of hard work, the family managed to save enough money to purchase a large, comfortable chair.

Throughout the story, there are lessons about working hard, empathy, appreciation, responsibility, Family, and Community.

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HAVE YOU FILLED A BUCKET TODAY

by Carol McCloud

This is a delightful children’s book. Throughout the book, children learn how they can “fill the imaginary bucket every person possesses, and the bucket of those around them” by being kind and respectful. Similarly, they are taught that being unkind and disrespectful will empty their bucket as well as the bucket of those around them. This book teaches children that everyone has feelings and they should treat others the way they want to be treated.

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THE RABBIT LISTENED

by Cori Doerrfeld

Taylor worked very hard to create the blocks exactly how he wanted them. It made him very proud. But who could have predicted that a flock of blackbirds would swoop down from the sky and destroy everything? Taylor is devastated by what happened. The animals notice the child’s distress and try to help him one by one.. The chicken recommends talking about it. You must scream out your anger, says the bear. Hyenas say to laugh about it. Taylor, however, refuses their advice, and they leave him alone. The rabbit, with its quiet and close stance, is the only one who stays with Taylor and listens to him. Only after Taylor has gone through the entire process of talking, screaming, laughing, and grieving does he think about rebuilding it again.

It is a great book to discuss how to deal with emotions. In the story, the rabbit serves as a great metaphor for being present and paying attention. The best way to overcome an emotional situation is by someone listening to you without judgment. Exactly, like the rabbit in the story, who sat quietly and listened to the child’s story until he or she found a solution to the problem.

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THE FOX WISH

by Kimiko Aman

It’s a wonderful story that highlights the importance of selflessness. The story is about a little girl searching for a jump rope that she had forgotten at the park. When she returns to fetch it, her little brother goes with her, and they come across a group of foxes learning to jump. The rest of the story is pure whimsy with a kind deed at the end.

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KINDNESS STARTS WITH YOU

by Jacquelyn Stagg

As your child reads about how the main character, Emily, spends her day with family and friends, he or she will understand what it means to be kind. The book reminds readers that kindness, no matter how small it may appear at first glance is never wasted. It teaches us that a single act of kindness can have a huge impact on someone’s life. Simple acts such as sharing toys or playing games with others. In this book, children will learn phrases like “I’m sorry,” “Can I lend you a hand,” and “Let’s take turns,” which will encourage them to develop social skills and become responsible citizens.

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BE KIND

by Pat Zietlow Miller

It’s a pleasure to read books about being kind. The story begins with a young girl wondering what she can do to help her friend, who is upset because everyone laughed at her after the latter spilled juice on her new dress. As the young girl contemplates kindness, she wonders what it means to be kind. This book demonstrates to readers how taking small actions and reaching out to those in need can have a big impact on our world, even if it’s as simple as addressing someone by name or reaching out when they need help.

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RELATED POST : HOW TO TEACH KINDNESS TO KIDS

10 Ways to encourage RANDOM ACTS OF Kindness

1. Create a list of kind things you can do for others, such as complimenting them or helping with their homework.
2. Discuss what good manners are – is it by being polite, telling someone they’re doing a good job, or saying “please” and “thank you”.
3. Have your child write down one thing they did today that was kind so he/she feels proud of themselves!
4. Make a plan together about how often you would like to read children’s books that teach kindness, especially to preschoolers and kindergarteners. Whenever you read a book, discuss it before starting a new one!
5. Have your child write down one thing they did today that was kind so he/she feels proud of themselves!
6. Search for other ways to be more thoughtful in everyday life such as recycling or turning off lights.
7. Watch videos online from UNICEF Kid Power where kids help people around the world by raising money through physical activity.
8. Find out any events in your area related to kindness. (such as an art show where all proceeds go to a Non Profit or a Toy drive during holidays ).
9. Model acts of kindness and write notes of kindness to your friends, teachers or even to the postman.
10. Donate toys to charity, donate food to a food bank, or donate old blankets and towels to an animal shelter.

Kindness books teach children and adults how to make an impact on others by doing random acts of kindness. These books offer many valuable lessons that we should all consider when deciding how to best live our lives. 

Don’t wait ! Grab a copy now and start making a positive difference in someone’s life today! What book for young readers would you recommend?

Here are some of our favorite books for kids

• Best Books for Kindergarten
• Books for 1st and 2nd Graders
• Best Chapter Books for 3rd Grader
• Must Read books for 4th Graders
• Books for Mother’s Day

If you found this selection of books interesting to read, please share below for others to benefit as well. Thank you !