Kindness & Empathy
We all want to teach our children about kindness, but sometimes it’s not so easy. Kindness is an abstract concept, making it difficult for children to understand. The titles below teach our young readers about the importance of big and small kindnesses, and how each of them can make a difference.
Check out my post about friendship for similar titles!
I hope you love the books I recommend! Please note that the links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Books About Kindness
Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind - Here’s a book all parents and teachers will love. Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind, by Jessica Hische, is sweet, simple and absolutely beautiful. I love the way this book teaches concepts that are hard for children to understand, such as patience, honesty, and trustworthiness.
Finding Kindness - A sweet and simple book about how small kindnesses can make big differences in one community.
The Llamacorn Is Kind - Meet llamacorn and his animal friends. The girafficorn, the walruscorn, cowicorn and many others are special in their own ways, but there’s no one like llamacorn. This colorful rhyming book will draw you in. While you read, encourage your little one to join you each time you say “but the llamacorn is kind.”
I Am Kind - a great book for toddlers, 2’s and young 3’s. This short book teaches young readers about the small kindnesses they can do for the people they love.
Be Kind - When Tanisha accidentally spills juice on herself, her friend wonders how she can help make her feel better. I love this book because it teaches about kindness and empathy. It’s also a great example of how kids can help each other in real social situations.
All Are Welcome - a book about kindness for every family! This book features a beautifully diverse community, in which children and adults from many different cultures live, learn, play and celebrate together.
The Buddy Bench - a fabulous book! The children decide to create a buddy bench for anyone who is feeling left out at recess. I love this book because it has a beautifully diverse group of characters, who model kindness, empathy & problem-solving.
The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade - Sally McCabe is so small that no one really notices her, but she sees everything. She sees things that others miss, including all of the times her friends treat each other unfairly. So what happens when she decides to speak up? This book is perfect for beginning discussions about bullying with our young readers.
Words and Your Heart - a simple and straight-forward book about how our words can have an impact on the feelings of others.
Be a Maker - a beautiful book that challenges readers to make the world a better place with their hands and their hearts.
Bernerd And The Small Act of Kindness - another perfect book for toddlers and 2’s. An adorable book with a simple message: that one small act of kindness can make a big difference. The illustrations are so cute too. A big thank you to Mew Studios for sending this one to me!
The Big Book About Being Big - What does it mean to be big? Is it just about growing up and being tall? Or does it mean being older? This fun and thoughtful book is full of ideas for little kids to make big differences. From helping others and thinking globally to using your imagination. I love the way that this story talks about all of the small steps that add up to a big impact!
The Big Umbrella - a gentle book about inclusion and the importance of small acts of kindness. I love the simplicity of this book and the calm vibe of the illustrations. For ages 2+.
One Big Heart - This book celebrates our similarities and differences with lovely rhyming text and gorgeous illustrations. I love the way this book honors the beautiful diversity of all children.
Try a Little Kindness - this book is full of small kindnesses that go a long way. Each page features characters being kind, and one character who isn’t. My little one liked pointing out the not so nice ones!
The Kindness Book - another great book by Todd Parr! It explains what kindness is and helps kids be kind to others in easy and meaningful ways.
Strictly No Elephants - a sweet but powerful book about acceptance! When children are excluded from a pet club for having “unusual” pets, they decide to form their own club and welcome more friends than they could have ever imagined.
What Does It Mean To Be Kind -We talk to our little ones about kindness, but what does it actually mean? This book has the perfect answers! From helping out family and friends, to forgiving someone who has hurt you, there are so many practical ideas in this story. I love the way author, Rana DiOrio, includes concepts about what kindness is NOT, including being nice to please others or changing who you are.
What Does it Mean to be an American - What does it mean to be an American? does it mean eating apple pie? loving fireworks? eating fast food? NO! It means protecting our natural resources. It means believing that all people are created equal, deserve the rights, and are entitled to the same opportunities. It means appreciating our differences and helping others. I love this book, and this series, because it explains big concepts in ways that our little ones can understand. You can find many more wonderful titles in the What Does It Mean series by Rana DiOrio here!
The Power of One: Every Act of Kindness Counts - a simple but powerful book about the domino effect that one small act of kindness can cause. Follow along as a few kind words from a stranger impacts an entire community for the better. Ages 3+
Hello, Neighbor!: The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers - who better to teach us about kindness than Mr. Rogers himself. Step into the world of Fred Rogers, learn about his early life, his work as a minister, and how these experiences lead him to create the TV show we all know and love. This book is great for readers ages 5+.
That’s Not How You Do It! - Lucy knows how to do EVERYTHING. She can play the xylophone, paint elephants, and make perfect origami stars. But when she meets a new friend who does things differently, she’s convinced he’s got it all wrong.
The Little Things - I’m crushing hard on this book about the power of kindness, and the impact of paying it forward. It starts with one young girl rescuing starfish on the beach, which inspires a ripple effect of community service and philanthropy all around her.
Books About Empathy
Put Yourself in My Shoes - A perfect book about having empathy for others. When Cricket goes for a walk he runs into his friend Ladybug, who is missing her spots. Cricket doesn’t have any spots and tells her that he doesn’t think they’re that important. He runs into Bee who is having a problem with his wings, but again, Cricket doesn’t think his problem is that important. But what happens when he has a problem of his own? Will his friends help?
A Kids Book About Empathy- I love the way this book teaches readers the difference between sympathy and empathy. Using clear and straightforward language, Roberts explains how important it is to feel with someone, instead of feeling for them.
“Check back again soon for more titles!”
Preview the books before you read them, this will help you decide if they’re right for your child’s age and attention span.
While reading, take your time, let your child take in the words and pictures.
As you read, listen carefully to the questions that come up. You'll gain insight into how your child is thinking and feeling based on what they say.
Be sure to share any concerns about your child with a trusted pediatrician, their teacher or caregiver. These professionals are a great resource and can offer advice or additional guidance.
Did you like these books?
Do you have other favorite books about kindness ?
Do you have a topic that you'd like to see here?
E-mail bigbooksforlittlehands@gmail.com, I'd love to do a post for you.
