With a new school year just beginning, now is a wonderful time to start exploring new books that foster meaningful conversations between children and adults.
Books have the potential to create a lasting impact while gently guiding children through characters and situations that promote important topics, including respect for diversity and acceptance.
Help your children understand and welcome peers of all kind – below are a sample of books that help children understand the importance of acceptance, respect and manners.
I’m Like You, You’re Like Me: A Book About Understanding and Appreciating Each Other by Cindy Gainer. I’m Like You, You’re Like Me helps kids appreciate the ways they are alike and affirm their individual differences. A two-page adult section in the back provides tips and activities for parents and caregivers to reinforce the themes and lessons of the book.
Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev. This sweet story captures the magic of friendship and the joy of having a friend who is different.
Whoever You Are by Mem Fox – At a time when, unfortunately, the lessons of tolerance still need to be learned, Whoever You Are urges us to accept our differences, to recognize our similarities, and-most importantly-to rejoice in both.
The next few books are a few of my favorite books, that I used to read to my class in the first few weeks of school when I was a teacher.
Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller, explains manners in a kid-friendly fashion.
What If Everybody Did That? By Ellen Javernick. What If Everbody Did That? helps children learn not to follow if someone isn’t making the best choices. It helps them understand to obey rules.
Be Good to Eddie Lee by Virginia Fleming is one of my favorite books to read to kids. It is about a little boy who has Down Syndrome.
The story helps teach children the lesson, to love everyone and because someone looks or acts differently than you doesn’t mean they should be treated differently. Regardless of peoples differences, you should include them. You just might find your best friend.