Inspiring Kindness With Picture Books

It’s February, so my mind turns to loving kindness. Sometimes when I talk to children about why they should be kind and treat each other with respect, they tune out. However, they rarely tune out when listening to a captivating story.  Stories are the glue that holds their attention.   Recently,  I sat down with a group of second graders to talk about the importance of showing kindness to classmates. We made a list of ways we could be kind, which included: helping a classmate, cleaning up, listening to the teacher, and holding open the door for each other.  

After we talked together about showing care and compassion, I read aloud the book, Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed.  This story tells about two Afghan girls, Lina and Feroza, who live in a refugee camp in Pakistan. The story is illustrated in soft,t quiet colors by Doug Chayka. One day, ten-year-old Lina walks barefoot on the ground of the camp.  Shoes are thrown to the refugees, and Lina finds a blue and yellow sandal.  To her surprise, the other sandal was found by a new girl, Feroza. The girls decide to share the sandals.  One day, Lina would wear them, and the next day, Feroza would wear the lovely blue and yellow sandals. The girls become fast friends until the day when Lina’s family learns that they can leave the refugee camp and make a new life in America.  As Lina’s family prepares to leave, Feroza gives Lina the sandals, saying that she cannot go to America barefoot.  However, Lina is given a new pair of shiny black shoes by the relief workers.  So, as the girls say their good-byes, Feroza gives Lina one of the yellow and blue sandals, saying, “It is good to remember four feet, two sandals.”  

There are many acts of kindness and friendship in this book.  When discussing these events with the children, I focused on how Lina and Feroza’s friendship grew and changed.  The students shared all the ways Lina and Feroza expressed their love for each other. They were surprised by Feroza’s generosity, giving one sandal of the only pair she had. After reading the story, the children talked about ways they could show friendship to another child.   They wrote their ideas on a sandal template and posted them on a class bulletin board as a reminder of how kindness counts in each and every small way.

Here are some other picture books that will help cultivate kindness and keep it front and center in your classrooms.

1. Dolly’s Kindness Journey by Melissa Eastin

In a story in verse, we learn about Dolly the doodle dog, who goes on an adventure learning about what it means to be kind.  Children are given choices to help Dolly make the right choices to help her friends, the sloth, the fawn, and the little duckling. The story focuses on sharing, listening, helping others in need, being brave, and showing teamwork.

2. Farfalina and Marcel by Holly Keller

This is a story of growth, transformation, and friendship in the form of a fuzzy caterpillar and a gray gosling.  Farfallina, the caterpillar, becomes friends with Marcel until it is time for her to journey to the top of a tree.  Then one spring morning, Farfallina and Marcel reunite with surprising results.

3. Kindness Grows by Britta Teckentrup

Britta TecKentrup has created a beautifully presented book in verse about kindness and friendship.  The die-cut collage illustrations alternate from monotone muted colors to bright, vibrant colors as the authors describe the difference between being unkind and friendship.  As the book begins, “It all starts with a crack that we can hardly see.  It happens when we shout or if we disagree.” Then the action shifts page by page, allowing the reader to see how kindness and friendship grow and make the world a better place.

4. Kindness is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego

In this story, Lucas tells the story of how he was not always kind and how he learned to show empathy and compassion.  Instead of teasing his classmates, he learns that making people feel better makes him feel good.  Lucas vows to be polite and goes back to school and shows random acts of kindness by sharing, cleaning up, waiting his turn, and making new friends. By the end of the book, kindness certainly became Lucas’s superpower.

5. Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler by Margery Cuyler

Some students in Mrs. Ruler’s class are having a hard time being kind to each other. She asks each student to do 10 acts of kindness.  As Mrs. Ruler says, “A slice of nice makes a mile of smiles.” The group of unruly students takes turns sharing their kind deeds. At show and tell. One student, David, has trouble being kind, but in the end, he, too, realizes that “good deeds fill needs.” All of Mrs. Ruler’s students gather acts of kindness at home, at school, and in the community. She teaches them that “Kindness is indeed cooler!”

6. Kindness Week by Tahiya Cooper

Third grader Aniyah learns many ways to show kindness during her school’s Kindness Week.  Her classmates make cards for military members, and the children learn to be kind to all people, even people they don’t know. They also share their lunches and clean up their school yard. This book expresses the importance of showing kindness to all.

7. Margaret and Margarita/Margarita Y Margaret by Lynn Reiser

One day, Margaret and Margarita are on separate journeys to the park with their mothers.  They both do not want to go to the park because they don’t have a friend to play with.  Margaret takes along her yellow bunny named Susan, and Margarita takes along her purple kitten named Susanna.  When the girls meet, they learn that they speak different languages,s but that does not stop them from becoming friends.  This book is told in both English and Spanish and clearly shows how caring and kindness are their own language.

8. The Fairiest Fairy by Anne Booth

This story in rhyme tells of a little fairy named Betty who is a messy muddle.  She can’t seem to do her fairy duties like sprinkling dewdrops, waking up flowers, or painting rainbows.  But Betty has something that the other fairies don’t.  Betty has a kind heart and helps her friends, the rabbit, blackbird, and butterfly.  In return, they help Bett,y and she becomes the “fairest fairy” at the Royal Fairy Ball.

9. Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt 

Maddi and Sofia are the best of friends.  Sofia needs help climbing the rock wall at school, and Maddi keeps encouraging her to try, try, try. But Maddi also has a secret: her fridge at home is empty.  When Sofia finds out, she knows she must make things right.  She tries to bring different types of food for Maddi and her family.  This is a heartwarming story of friendship and community caring.

10. A Little Spot of Kindness by Diane Albers

This is a wonderful and simple book that can spark a class conversation about kindness. A Little Spot of Kindness introduces himself to two children and teaches them about kindness.  He sticks with children to remind them of all the ways to be kind: using encouraging words, sharing, being friendly, and apologizing. As a  Little Spot of Kindness says, “Every time you are kind, a layer of happiness is added to your heart.