Our Summer Reading theme this year is “All Together Now!”
Here are a few highly recommended children’s books that promote kindness. These books explore themes of empathy, compassion, friendship, and the importance of treating others with kindness. You can also see books about kindness and acceptance on display in front of the circulation desk at the library.
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (grades preK-3)
A young boy grows to manhood and old age experiencing the love and generosity of a tree which gives to him without thought of return.
Last Stop on Market Street words by Matt de la Peña ; pictures Christian Robinson (grades preK-3)
On Sundays, CJ and his nana ride the bus across town to their stop on Market Street. But today, CJ’s not happy about it. Today, he’s wondering out loud why they have to wait in the rain and why they don’t have a car like his other friends. But it’s Nana who opens young CJ’s eyes and shows him the real beauty in the world around them – the spirit of the bustling city, the music in everyday life, and the magic of their often overlooked neighbors.
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig ; illustrated by Patrice Barton (grades k-4)
Meet Brian, the invisible boy. Nobody in class ever seems to notice him or think to include him in their group, game, or birthday party . . . until, that is, a new kid comes to class. When Justin, the new boy, arrives, Brian is the first to make him feel welcome. And when Brian and Justin team up to work on a class project together, Brian finds a way to shine.
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson ; illustrated by E.B. Lewis (grades k-3)
Chloe and her friends won’t play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe’s teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she’d shown a little kindness toward Maya.
The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper ; illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska (grades preK-3)
Grandpa explains that the golden rule is a simple statement on how to live that can be practiced by people of all ages and faiths, then helps his grandson figure out how to apply the rule to his own life.
If You Plant a Seed words and paintings by Kadir Nelson (grades preK-3)
If you plant a carrot seed . . . a carrot will grow. If you plant a lettuce seed . . . lettuce will grow. But what happens if you plant a seed of kindness . . . or selfishness? Award-winning author-illustrator Kadir Nelson presents a resonant, gently humorous story about the power of even the smallest acts and the rewards of compassion and generosity.
Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller ; illustrated by Jen Hill (grades preK-3)
When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate contemplates how to make her feel better and what it means to be kind. From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving and thoughtful story explores what a child can do to be kind, and how each act, big or small, can make a difference or at least help a friend.
The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates ; cowritten with Juniper Bates
By the door there is an umbrella. It is big. It is so big that when it starts to rain there is room for everyone underneath. It doesn’t matter if you are tall. Or plaid. Or hairy. It doesn’t matter how many legs you have. Don’t worry that there won’t be enough room under the umbrella. Because there will always be room. Lush illustrations and simple, lyrical text subtly address themes of inclusion and tolerance in this sweet story that accomplished illustrator Amy June Bates cowrote with her daughter, Juniper, while walking to school together in the rain.
A Sick Day for Amos McGee written by Philip C. Stead ; illustrated by Erin E. Stead (grades preK-3)
Friends come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. In Amos McGee’s case, all sorts of species, too! Every day he spends a little bit of time with each of his friends at the zoo, running races with the tortoise, keeping the shy penguin company, and even reading bedtime stories to the owl. But when Amos is too sick to make it to the zoo, his animal friends decide it’s time they returned the favor.
The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney (grades preK-3)
In this wordless retelling of an Aesop fable, an unlikely pair learn that no act of kindness is ever wasted. After a ferocious lion spares a cowering mouse that he’d planned to eat, the mouse later comes to his rescue, freeing him from a poacher’s trap.
Kindness Makes Us Strong by Sophie Beer (preK)
This joyful board book shows various children as they extend kindness in all kinds of situations: on the playground, at lunchtime, on a bike path, and on a neighborhood street.
Have you filled a bucket today? by Carol McCloud ; illustrated by David Messing (grades preK-4)
Using a simple metaphor of a bucket and a dipper, author Carol McCloud illustrates that when we choose to be kind, we not only fill the buckets of those around us, but also fill our OWN bucket! Conversely, when we choose to say or do mean things, we are dipping into buckets. All day long, we are either filling up or dipping into each other’s buckets by what we say and what we do. When you’re a bucket filler, you make the world a better place to be!
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (grades 3-8)
August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid–but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel “a meditation on kindness.” Beginning from Auggie’s point of view and expanding to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others, the perspectives converge to form a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
