Experiencing Empathy
When a character in a book is portrayed so effectively that they seem like a real person, then you, as the reader, experience their point of view as your own. You are, in effect, seeing the world through another’s eyes, and taking a beginning step on the road to discovering empathy: the ability to feel or identify with another.
The Goat Lady, Jane Bregoli. Befriending an elderly neighbor allows children to see beyond her rundown house, and value the richness of her life story.
Hannah Is My Name, Belle Yang. In 1968, a Chinese girl is anxious that her family won’t receive the green cards that will allow them to stay in San Francisco.
I,Doko, Ed Young. A fable from Nepal makes a subtle yet powerful point about respecting elders.
Mole And The Baby Bird, Marjorie Newman. Mole wants to keep the bird as a pet, until his grandfather helps him imagine how it feels to fly free.
The Rag Coat, Lauren Mills. Minna stands up for herself when her classmates make fun of her hand-me-downs.
Self-Reliance And Responsibility
Self-confidence comes from taking pride in a job well done, or from realizing there are actions you can take (however small) to influence your own destiny.
Beatrice’s Goat, Page McBrier. Beatrice’s efforts in caring for and selling the milk from her goat enable her to earn money to go to school in her African village.
The Hard-Times Jar, Ethel Smothers. The beautiful books that are supposed to stay in the school library are a temptation to Emma, who yearns for a book of her own.
Miss Bridie Chose A Shovel, Leslie Connor. Miss Bridie’s take charge attitude serves her well in this look at the long life of a remarkable woman.
Stick Up For Yourself, Gershen Kaufman. An empowering read with ideas about making choices, learning to like yourself and solving problems.
Zara’s Hats, Paul Meisel. When Zara’s hat-maker father runs out of feathers, her creativity saves the family business. |
The Courage To Follow Your Convictions
These characters all take a stand to define themselves and what they believe in – and these stories underscore the notion that bravery comes in many guises.
Brave, Brave Mouse, Micheala Morgan. Little mouse conquers his fears in believable, endearing and humorous ways.
The Cello Of Mr. O, Jane Cutler. In the middle of a war-torn city, a musician sets an example of courage.
Guji Guji, Chih-Yuan Chen. A sweetly offbeat tale of a crocodile, and his loyalty to the duck family that raised him.
The Librarian Of Basra, Jeanette Winter. The true story of Alia, an Iraqi woman who saved 70% of her library’s books from wartime destruction.
The Name Jar, Yangsook Choi. Unhei has second thoughts about her decision to switch to an ‘American’ name.
Rocks In His Head, James Stevenson. Pursue your passions, you never know what will come of them.
Say Something, Peggy Moss. A girl who never says anything when schoolmates are being teased, realizes it isn’t good enough to simply not join in, she needs to say something to show that hurtful behavior is wrong.
Kind Words And Deeds
It can take some practice to learn to think of other people’s needs before our own: these stories make that point gently and with humor.
Me First, Helen Lester. A tongue-in-cheek tale of a pushy little pig and the lesson he learns.
Sometimes I’m Bombaloo, Rachel Vail. A true-to-life look at how hard it can be to maintain self-control.
The Spiffiest Giant In Town, Julia Donaldson. This big-hearted giant literally offers the shirt off his back to friends in need!
Stagestruck, Tomie DePaola. Tommy learns that although it might be fun, it isn’t always fair to be the center of attention.
Manners – Some Lively Lessons
Emily Post’s Guide To Good Manners For Kids
The ‘How Rude’ Handbook of School Manners, A. Packer.
I Did It, I’m Sorry, C. Buehner.
Oops, Sorry! R. Morgan. |
