[Publisher's Note: Looking for even more kindness? I'm so proud to know the women behind the Be Kind movement here in Colorado, check them out!]
Looking for books that inspire kindness in kids? We found eight great books that can show kids the importance of being kind. And we could all use a little more kindness in our lives, right?
How Kind!
(Ages 2 - 5)
By Mary Murphy
From the publisher: Hen gives Pig an unexpected present. "How kind!" says Pig. Pig is so touched, in fact, that he decides to do something kind too. So Pig gives Rabbit a gift. "How kind!" says Rabbit, who does something kind for Cow, who is kind to Cat, who wants to be kind in turn. Where will all of this kindness lead?
How Full is Your Bucket?
(Ages 3-8)
By Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer
From the publisher: Felix begins to see how every interaction in a day either fills or empties his bucket. Felix then realizes that everything he says or does to other people fills or empties their buckets as well. Follow along with Felix as he learns how easy it can be to fill the buckets of his classmates, teachers, and family members. Before the day is over, you'll see how Felix learns to be a great bucket filler, and in the process, discovers that filling someone else's bucket also fills his own.
Because Amelia Smiled
(Ages 3-7)
By David Ezra Stein
From the publisher: Because Amelia smiles as she skips down the street, her neighbor Mrs. Higgins smiles too, and decides to send a care package of cookies to her grandson Lionel in Mexico. The cookies give Lionel an idea, and his idea inspires a student, who in turn inspires a ballet troupe in England! And so the good feelings that started with Amelia’s smile make their way around the world, from a goodwill recital in Israel, to an impromptu rumba concert in Paris, to a long-awaited marriage proposal in Italy, to a knitted scarf for a beloved niece back in New York. Putting a unique spin on "what goes around comes around," David Ezra Stein’s charmingly illustrated story reminds us that adding even a small dose of kindness into the world is sure to spur more and more kindness, which could eventually make its way back to you!
Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed
(Ages 4 - 8)
By Emily Pearson
From the publisher: Can one child's good deed change the world? It can when she’s Ordinary Mary—an ordinary girl from an ordinary school, on her way to her ordinary house—who stumbles upon ordinary blueberries. When she decides to pick them for her neighbor, Mrs. Bishop, she starts a chain reaction that multiplies around the world.
Each Kindness
(Ages 5–8)
By Jacqueline Woodson
From the publisher: 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.
Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler
(Ages 5 - 10)
By Margery Cuyler
From the publisher: When Mrs. Ruler asks five of her kindergarteners to miss recess, she's got a special plan up her sleeve. She's about to teach a new golden rule: KINDNESS IS COOL! Soon the entire class is doing so many good deeds that their kindness bulletin board barely fits their classroom! From clearing the table after dinner to helping the elderly, one kindergarten class is proving that kids really can make a difference. Count along with Mrs. Ruler's class. Can all their good deeds really add up to 100 acts of kindness?
The Invisible Boy
(Ages 6–9)
By Trudy Ludwig
From the publisher: A simple act of kindness can transform an invisible boy into a friend… Meet Brian, the invisible boy. Nobody ever seems to notice him or thinks 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.
Out of My Mind
(Ages 10 and up)
By Sharon M. Draper
From the publisher: Eleven-year-old Melody has a photographic memory. Her head is like a video camera that is always recording. Always. And there's no delete button. She's the smartest kid in her whole school, but NO ONE knows it. Most people, her teachers and doctors included, don't think she's capable of learning, and up until recently her school days consisted of listening to the same preschool-level alphabet lessons again and again and again. If only she could speak up, if only she could tell people what she thinks and knows. But she can't. She can't talk. She can't walk. She can't write. Being stuck inside her head is making Melody go out of her mind — that is, until she discovers something that will allow her to speak for the first time ever. At last, Melody has a voice... but not everyone around her is ready to hear it.
Kelly Bevan McIlquham is the publisher of Macaroni Kid in Berkshires, Mass.
