Lila and the Crow


Gabrielle Grimard - 2016
    But on the first day, a boy points at her and shouts: "A crow! A crow! The new girl's hair is black like a crow!" The others whisper and laugh, and Lila's heart grows as heavy as a stone.The next day, Lila covers her hair. But this time, the boy points at her dark skin. When she covers her face, he mocks her dark eyes. Now every day at school, Lila hides under her turtleneck, dark glasses, and hat. And every day when she goes home, she sees a crow who seems to want to tell her something. Lila ignores the bird and even throws rocks at it, but it won't go away. Meanwhile, the great autumn festival is approaching. While the other kids prepare their costumes, Lila is sadder and lonelier than ever. At her lowest point of despair, a magical encounter with the crow opens Lila's eyes to the beauty of being different, and gives her the courage to proudly embrace her true self.

The Goodbye Book


Todd Parr - 2015
    Through the lens of a pet fish who has lost his companion, Todd Parr tells a moving and wholly accessible story about saying goodbye. Touching upon the host of emotions children experience, Todd reminds readers that it's okay not to know all the answers, and that someone will always be there to support them. An invaluable resource for life's toughest moments.

The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others


Bob Sornson - 2010
    When Pete begins to behave badly, his classmates teach him about "The Promise". Will Pete decide to shed his bullying habits and make "The Promise"?

Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons


Amy Krouse Rosenthal - 2006
    Open this delectable book to any page and you will find out something about life. Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons is a new kind of dictionary, one that defines mysteries such as "fair" and "unfair" and what it really means to "cooperate." The book is by turns clever, honest, inspirational, and whimsical. Go ahead, take a bite!

Lone Bean


Chudney Ross - 2012
    Bean picks the violin (the cello is too big), and tries to find new friends, but music lessons are a lot of work, Goody-Two-Shoes Gabrielle is prissy, and Terrible Tanisha is a bully. And Bean’s mom is always at work. Bean h-a-t-e-s HATES third grade!LONE BEAN is an entertaining read about spunky Bean Gibson and how she learns what it means to be a good friend. And that it’s possible to have more than one.

How Tickles Saved Pickles: A True Story


Maddie Johnson - 2018
    But one day Pickles becomes very sick. His only hope? One big sow with an even bigger heart on a faraway farm…but will she get to Pickles in time?Learn the true story about one extraordinary pig and his savior in this photographic picture book!

Moody Cow Meditates


Kerry Lee MacLean - 2009
    This vibrant and funny children's book is a playful way to introduce children to the power of meditation. With full color illustrations by the author, Moody Cow Meditates is a wonderful book for parents and children to share together. It all started one stupid, rotten day when everything went wrong... Peter the cow is having a BAD day. After missing the bus and wiping out on his bike he loses his temper and gets in trouble. To make matters worse all the other kids are teasing him, calling him Moody Cow. Peter's day just seems to get worse until his grandfather comes over and teaches him how to settle his mind and let go of his frustration through a simple and fun exercise. You’ll love Moody Cow Meditates because it Teaches kids how to handle their negative emotions Encourages mindfulness ad meditation Is funny and easy-to-read Has full-color illustrations by the author throughout Includes exercises to make your own meditation jar at home “Teaching children to meditate might be as easy as herding any other group of frisky critters. Moody Cow Meditates fills a distinct void in kid literature.”—Publishers Weekly All of us, adults and children, struggle with ‘Moody Cow’ days sometimes, where we feel caught up in our anger and other emotions. This book is an accessible introduction to using mindfulness to find relief and calm.

Tuesday Tucks Me In: The Loyal Bond between a Soldier and his Service Dog


Luis Carlos Montalván - 2014
    Army Captain and New York Times bestselling author of Until Tuesday, comes what Amazon.com has declared the "Best Nonfiction Children's Book of 2014." As narrated by Tuesday,  Tuesday Tucks Me In  is a day in the life of this service dog extraordinaire and tail-wagging ambassador for all things positive and uplifting in the world. The book takes us through a typical day of adventures, starting with Tuesday waking Luis in the morning and greeting him with dog breath in the face, and then ending with Tuesday cuddling up to Luis on their bed, the last moment they spend together before sleep.

The Beetle Book


Steve Jenkins - 2012
    Beetles squeak and beetles glow.Beetles stink, beetles sprint, beetles walk on water.With legs, antennae, horns, beautiful shells, knobs, and other oddities—what’s notto like about beetles?The beetle world is vast: one out of every four living things on earth is a beetle.There are over 350,000 different species named so far and scientists suspect there maybe as many as a million.From the goliath beetle that weighs one fourth of a pound to the nine inch longtitan beetle, award-winning author-illustrator Steve Jenkins presents a fascinating arrayof these intriguing insects and the many amazing adaptations they have made tosurvive.

The Recess Queen


Alexis O'Neill - 2002
    Kids will relate, & parents & teachers will appreciate the story's deft handling of conflict resolution (which happens w/o adult intervention)Mean Jean was Recess Queenand nobody said any different.Nobody swung until Mean Jean swung.Nobody kicked until Mean Jean kicked.Nobody bounced until Mean Jean bounced.If kids ever crossed her, she'd push 'em and smoosh 'emlollapaloosh 'em, hammer 'em, slammer 'emkitz and kajammer 'em.Until a new kid came to school!With her irrepressible spirit, the new girl dethrones the reigning recess bully by becoming her friend in this infectious playground romp.

Sticks & Stones


Abby Cooper - 2016
    At first it was just "cute" and "adorable," but as she's gotten older and kids have gotten meaner, words like "loser" and "pathetic" appear, and those words bubble up and itch. And then there are words like "interesting," which she's not really sure how to feel about. Now, at age twelve, she's starting middle school, and just when her friends who used to accept and protect her are drifting away, she receives an anonymous note saying "I know who you are, and I know what you're dealing with. I want to help." As Elyse works to solve the mystery of who is sending her these notes, she also finds new ways to accept who she is and to become her best self.

Speak Up


Miranda Paul - 2020
    This spirited, picture book celebrates diversity and encourages kids to speak up, unite with others, and take action when they see something that needs to be fixed.Join a diverse group of kids on a busy school day as they discover so many different ways to speak up and make their voices heard! From shouting out gratitude for a special treat to challenging a rule that isn’t fair, these young students show that simple, everyday actions can help people and make the world a better place.

The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully-Bully Shark


Deborah Diesen - 2017
    Fish and all his friendsLove to play down at the park.But that ends when they're bulliedBy a misbehaving shark!Mr. Fish wants to help.He knows bullying is wrong!But he's just one fish--Is he really that strong?In The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully-Bully Shark, the New York Times-bestselling Pout-Pout Fish teaches a bully shark about kindness and being a friend in this original picture book. Swim along as he discovers the strength of his community, and the power of his own voice.

Rex Wrecks It!


Ben Clanton - 2014
    Every time they build something with their blocks, Rex wrecks it! Whether it’s an out-of-this-world rocket, a magical heart, or the biggest, strongest, most awesomerific castle ever, Rex sends it crashing down with a "Rawr!" (and sometimes a sheepish"Rawry!"?). Isn’t there any way to make playtime fun for everyone? With Rex-size humor, Ben Clanton explores the challenges of friendship, the benefits of working together, and the joys of destruction.

Come with Me


Holly M. McGhee - 2017
    "Come with me," he says. Hand-in-hand, they walk to the subway, tipping their hats to those they meet. The next day, the girl asks her mama what she can do--her mama says, "Come with me," and together they set out for the grocery, because one person doesn't represent an entire race or the people of a land. After dinner that night, the little girl asks if she can do something of her own--walk the dog . . . and her parents let her go. "Come with me," the girl tells the boy across the hall. Walking together, one step at a time, the girl and the boy begin to see that as small and insignificant as their part may seem, it matters to the world.