Kindness: Children’s Books About the Importance of Being Kind

World Kindness Day is November 13th. A day I think the world always needs, especially now. Our social environment is so heavy nowadays that it’s so important to find ways to keep kindness at the forefront in any way we can. 

Kids are born kind. We have an innate kindness within us when we are young. As moms, we help cultivate that kindness and teach our kids why being kind is so important.

Books are a great way to connect with our kids and teach them about the importance of being kind.

A few years ago, I read to my son’s 3rd-grade class, which happened to be on Kindness Day. When I researched, there were hundreds of books! I remembered some books from when I was a kid; others were new to me. 

There were books about all sorts of kindness, being kind to friends, filling buckets, being kind to yourself, embracing differences, so many different things filled page after page of my internet browser.

This year in honor of World Kindness Day, I wanted to make a list (more like a small sampling because otherwise, this post would be more like a novel) of different books moms can grab to promote and teach kindness to their kids. 

Let’s get started!

1. How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids, by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer

I love all books about bucket filling (either others’ or our own), and this is my absolute favorite of the newer kindness books! This book is all about the importance of having a full bucket and also touches on how dipping from other people’s buckets is unkind. We follow Felix as he learns how everything we do affects our bucket or someone else. This is the book I read to my son’s class. The kids loved it, and in the end, the children each expressed different ways they might have filled someone else’s bucket or their own and how it made them feel. 

There is also a young readers version geared towards kids 8-12. 

If you love books about bucket filling as I do, visit Bucket Fillers. This group has so many more amazing books and resources for teaching kids of all ages the importance of bucket filling.

2. Horton Hears a Who, Dr. Seuss

A fantastic book that I remember from when I was younger! That quote, A person’s a person, no matter how small, is something that has stayed with me since I was in elementary school. Children might feel as though they can’t make a difference. It teaches them that every act of kindness, big or small, makes a difference. And every person, big or small, can make a difference.

If you are looking for a Dr. Seuss book on kindness towards our planet and the difference children can make, I recommend The Lorax.  

3. A Sick Day for Amos McGee, by Philip C. Stead

When zookeeper Amos McGee gets sick, his animal friends visit him and help care for him just as he has done for them over the years. This is a beautiful book about how being kind will get you kindness in return.

If your little one loves animals, there are many animal-based books about kindness. Some of our favorites are, Do Unto Otters and If You Plant a Seed. 

4. Wonder, by R.J. Palacios

The original book is best for upper elementary school kids (or older) to read on their own or great for families to read together. This beautiful story pulls on the heartstrings and teaches children the importance of looking beyond what’s on the outside and appreciating what’s on the inside. It reinforces the importance of empathy, compassion, and acceptance. 

This book is part of a whole group of Wonder Books. 

If you like Wonder, be sure to check out all the other books in this series, including 365 Days of Wonder, and for younger children, the picture book We’re All Wonders. They’re great additions to your bookshelf too. 

5. Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Pena

This book is about a boy who rides the bus with his grandma every day. And like many kids that age, he asks her lots of questions about why some people have things that they don’t or do things differently. His grandmother answers all of his questions and helps him see the beauty in how they do things and how their routine puts them in a position to appreciate the people and world around them. 

We are lucky to live in such a diverse melting pot here in South Florida. There are many books about diversity and the importance of being kind and appreciating everyone for their differences. Some we love are Same, Same but Different, and another Dr. Seuss classic, The Sneetches and Other Stories. 

I will end the list here in the interest of not making this blog post a book in and of itself but are so many more incredible titles to teach kids about kindness, empathy, and compassion towards others and themselves. 

Please leave us a comment below with your own kindness book recommendations!

I hope you all have a wonderful World Kindness Day, and I hope every single day is filled with kindness for you and your family!