Cool to Be Kind: Children’s Books That Champion Kindness
by Dena McMurdie
My husband and I have spent many family discussions teaching our children about kindness. We tell our kids that what goes around comes around. If you want to be treated with kindness, you need to treat others with kindness. We’ve been successful for the most part, but kids make mistakes (who doesn’t?) and need a refresher now and then. Here are some books that celebrate kindness and help my family remember how and why we should be kind.
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Kindness Makes Us Strong
Available from:From the author of Love Makes a Family comes a bright new picture book celebrating all the ways that kindness makes us strong. From the neighborhood to the playground, young readers will discover the benefits of kindness in their communities.
(Ages 0 – 3)Also available from: -
The Nice Book
Available from:Adults often say “Be nice!” to little tots who don’t yet understand what that really means. This sweet little book uses clear, simple statements — like “When you get in a snit, don’t hit” and “If you have more than you need, share” — to teach children how to treat others.
(Ages 0 – 3)Also available from: -
I Am Kind
Available from:Introduce your little bookworm to Abraham Lincoln and the qualities that made him great, like kindness. With a conversational tone, fun facts, and bright illustrations, this board book is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.
(Ages 2 – 5)Also available from: -
How Kind!
Kindness is contagious. When Hen gives Pig an egg, she starts a domino effect of kindness that spreads throughout the barnyard. This adorable board book is straightforward and simple in its message of expressing kindness to others.
(Ages 2 – 5)Preorder from: -
The Last Stop on Market Street
Available from:Messages of optimism, kindness, and serving those less fortunate than you are palpable in every word and page of this beautiful book. A grandmother teaches her grandson to look on the bright side of life and lift up those around him.
(Ages 3 – 5)Also available from: -
Counting Kindness
Available from:Teach your child compassion for refugees with this delightful counting book. Adjusting to a new place and culture can be difficult, but we can make that transition easier with a little kindness. Children will learn ten ways they can be kind to kids who have been uprooted from their homes.
(Ages 3 – 6)Also available from: -
K is for Kindness
Elmo is working to earn his Monster Scout “K Is for Kindness” Badge! Follow along with Elmo as he does good deeds around the neighborhood and learns what it means to be a kind person.
(Ages 3 – 7)Available from: -
Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind
Available from:You’re going to love this companion book to Tomorrow I’ll Be Brave. With Jessica’s beautiful hand lettering and illustrations, you’ll find messages of hope, kindness, and love. Read it before bedtime to end the day on a positive note.
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
The World Needs More Purple People
Available from:From actress and producer Kristen Bell and creative director Benjamin Hart comes a timely and much-needed challenge: be kind. A #1 New York Times bestseller, this book encourages you to look for commonalities with others, regardless of differences in political beliefs or appearance.
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
All Are Welcome
Available from:Welcome to a diverse school where kindness and inclusivity are encouraged. At this school, everyone is welcome, and all cultures are celebrated. This beautiful book will give you hope for a kinder and more accepting future.
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
Everybody’s Welcome
Available from:A little mouse is building a house when a frog comes along and laments the fact that his pond has dried up. The little mouse immediately invites the frog to live with him. Soon birds that lost their tree, rabbits chased away from their burrow by eagles, and other animals looking for a home join in building a home where “everybody in it will feel that they belong.”
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
Here We Are
Available from:Created specifically for the author’s newborn son, this award-winning and bestselling book is a guide to life on Earth. Insightful, sweet, and funny, it lovingly teaches children how to live in the world and treat others with kindness.
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
I Walk with Vanessa
Available from:A classmate wonders how she can help when she sees Vanessa, the new girl at school, walking home crying after a confrontation with a bully. A sweet and simple wordless picture book that opens up conversations around kindness, caring, and stepping up against bullying.
(Ages 4 – 8)Also available from: -
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon
Available from:Short, bullfrog-voiced, and buck-toothed, Molly Lou Melon is the perfect target for the school bully. Good thing her grandmother taught her to be confident and love herself just as she is. A powerful message on how important it is to be kind to yourself as well as others.
(Ages 4 – 8)Also available from: -
My Heart
Available from:Living with kindness benefits yourself as well as others. With lyrical prose and stunning illustrations, this bestselling picture book shows children how to open their hearts. As they show kindness to others, they’ll also be kinder to themselves.
(Ages 4 – 8)Also available from: -
What Does It Mean To Be Kind?
Kindness often takes courage. We can choose to be kind to others in our actions each day. Using short, simple terms, this delightful picture book gives kids several specific suggestions of how to be kind.
(Ages 4 – 8)Preorder from: -
Those Shoes
Available from:Kindness and generosity take center stage as a young man chooses to look past his own desire to fit in and help someone else in need. This is a great discussion starter about peer pressure, kindness, and poverty.
(Ages 5 – 8)Also available from: -
Come With Me
Available from:When a little girl feels troubled after watching the news, she asks her parents how she can make a difference. She learns that change comes through one small act of kindness at a time. For children who feel weighed down by the negativity they see, this book provides an actionable step toward a better tomorrow.
(Ages 5 – 8)Also available from: -
Horton Hears a Who!
Available from:One day Horton, with his enormous ears, hears a tiny yelp for help coming from a speck. The other jungle animals don’t know what he’s talking about and want to destroy the speck. Thus begins Horton’s epic journey to save the Whos. This classic Dr. Seuss tale is such a great way to teach kids that kindness is persistent and that any person, or elephant, can stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.
(Ages 5 – 9)Also available from: -
The Invisible Boy
Available from:Shy, quiet Brian feels invisible in the hustle and bustle of his classroom. Then a new student arrives, and Brian sees an opportunity to make a friend. The Invisible Boy provides a gentle reminder of how it feels to be left out and how small acts of kindness — something as simple as saying hi — can make a big difference in someone’s life.
(Ages 6 – 9)Also available from:
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2021.