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Children’s Books to Build Character
20
items These books focus on building character by teaching fundamental social and emotional skills. The list includes a mix of classic picture books and more modern stories, all chosen for their ability to spark meaningful conversations between children and...
Sections
5
Problem solving and Courage
Emotional Literacy
Self-acceptance and Individuality
Kindness and Empathy
Adventure and Curiousity
Problem solving and Courage
This book is a must-have for any child's library! It's not just a story; it's a learning tool. My daughter was especially captivated by the vibrant illustrations and the simple language. It's also a fantastic way to introduce a range of topics, from...
The Very Hungry Caterpillar - by Eric Carle (Board Book)
I absolutely love reading Corduroy with my daughter. I read it to her the first time when she was 9 months and now that she's past toddlerhood, she still loves it and can comprehend the message. It’s just a sweet story and a gentle lesson about belon...
Corduroy - by Don Freeman (Paperback)
The Little Red Hen is a classic fable about a hardworking hen who finds a grain of wheat and decides to plant it, harvest it, and bake it into a loaf of bread. At each step of the process—from planting the seed to kneading the dough—she asks her lazy...
The Little Red Hen - (Paul Galdone Nursery Classic) by Paul Galdone (Paperback)
Oh, the Places You'll Go! is Dr. Seuss’s final book and a timeless, rhyming celebration of life’s journey. It follows a young protagonist through a series of whimsical landscapes, from places of great success and joy to moments of struggle and uncert...
DR SEUSS: Oh, the Places You'll Go! (Hardcover)
Emotional Literacy
From my personal experience, this book is an absolute staple for bedtime routines. Its soothing rhythm and gentle narrative provide a calm and predictable end to the day. The book's greatest strength is its ability to validate a child's emotions, sho...
Llama Llama Red Pajama - by Anna Dewdney (Board Book)
The book takes the reader on a journey through a full spectrum of feelings, showing that it's normal to have a variety of emotions.
I find My Many Colored Days to be an incredibly valuable and often overlooked Dr. Seuss title for young children. Whi...
My Many Colored Days - by Dr Seuss
I've found The Way I Feel to be one of the most practical books for introducing emotional intelligence to young children. Unlike stories with a narrative plot, this book is a tool. You can open it to any page and start a conversation. For example, if...
The Way I Feel - by Janan Cain (Paperback)
This book is fantastic at tackling a very relatable and important lesson: impulse control and apologizing genuinely. I've used this story to help my daughter understand that even when they feel upset, their actions have consequences. Lilly's journey ...
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse|Hardcover
Self-acceptance and Individuality
It's a testament to the idea that every individual has value and belongs.
I cannot recommend I Am Enough enough, especially for young children. The illustrations are diverse and vibrant, showing children of different ethnicities, abilities, and back...
I Am Enough|Hardcover
The Empty Pot is a beautiful and simple story that is incredibly effective at teaching children the value of honesty and integrity. I've found that young readers, even though they may be initially confused by Ping's "failure," are immediately captiva...
The Empty Pot (Paperback)
This is such a sweet book with memorable rhyming text that is fun to read. I also love to read this book because it has the wonderful message of accepting who you are and knowing everyone is different and uniquely special.
Giraffes Can't Dance (Board Book) by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
My daughter loves all Eric Carle books and this is another wonderful one about a chameleon who wants to be like other animals but realizes being himself is the best!
The Mixed-Up Chameleon Board Book - by Eric Carle
Kindness and Empathy
This is my classic go-to for when I want to introduce empathy and respectful behavior to young children. What I appreciate most about The Berenstain Bears and the Golden Rule is how it takes a big, abstract concept—the Golden Rule—and makes it and r...
The Berenstain Bears and the Golden Rule
Reading The Giving Tree to a young child can be a powerful and emotional experience. On the surface, it's a beautiful, simple story of giving, but as you grow older, it takes on a much deeper and more complex meaning. With my own children, I've found...
The Giving Tree|Hardcover
This book is a nice read, that young children can easily understand. Its all about a child that is angry/sad his tower got destroyed by some blackbirds. Then one by one many animals come and try to help, but only the rabbit listens to how he really feels. It has an underlying theme of empathy and how you can be kind and comforting to another by not doing much at all. Sometimes people just need an open ear, and that's enough. My daughter really likes this book because of the cute illustrations. The pages are mostly white with only the characters being colored, so they really stand out.
The Rabbit Listened: Doerrfeld, Cori ...
This story teaches kindness and how small acts can make a big difference. The story is about a quiet boy who feels invisible until a new student shows him kindness. Great read aloud with darling illustrations.
The Invisible Boy: Ludwig, Trudy, Barton, Patrice
Adventure and Curiousity
This book is a pure delight to read with young children. The Snowy Day is a perfect example of how a simple story can create a profound sense of wonder. I have fond memories of reading this to my daughter on snowy days, here in the Midwest. It’s a f...
Picture Puffin Books The Snowy Day, (Paperback)
The book's strength lies in its ability to teach kids about perseverance and the difference between giving up and changing your approach. I love reading this story because it's a gentle way to talk about dealing with disappointment. The boy fails ove...
How to Catch a Star - by Oliver Jeffers (Hardcover)
Because there are no words, the children become the storytellers. I've seen them meticulously trace the girl's path with their fingers, pointing out details and creating their own narratives. "She's drawing a bridge!" or "Look, the bird is free now!"...
Journey (Hardcover) by Aaron Becker
This book is a masterpiece for exploring the big feelings of young children. As a parent, I've found it to be a perfect way to talk about anger, loneliness, and the comfort of love and home. Max’s journey is a powerful metaphor for a child's tantrum...
Where the Wild Things Are (Paperback) by Maurice Sendak