Lately I was discussing some social skills issues, specifically making friends, dealing with bullying and building up self-esteem, with a group of ladies who have young children in the preschool years. I mentioned to them that I have found children's literature to be a HUGE help with these particular areas as I was raising my young children and also in my own preschool classroom. I spent some time looking over the different books I have used over the years and thought that I would share them here in this blog. Keep in mind that this is only a teeny-tiny peek into the VAST world of children's literature - there is soooo much out there. But I have found the following to work well and many of these rate among my favorite pieces of literature of all time!
Chrysanthemum , Kevin Henkes
- deals with the issue of teasing
The Berenstain Bears and the Bully, Stan and Jan Berenstian - bullying
Bootsie Barker Bites, Barbara Bottner
- bullying
I Wish That I Had Duck Feet, Dr.Seuss (writing as Theo LeSieg)
- being comfortable with yourself as you were made to be
Yo! Yes!, Chris Raschka
- making friends across cultural differences
Yes We Can!, Sam McBratney
- making friends and positive play
The Friendly Book, Margaret Wise Brown
- provokes thoughts about what a child likes - what makes them unique and what we might have in common
Do You Know What I'll Do?, Charlotte Zolotow
- great book about being a sibling
The Mixed Up Chameleon, Eric Carle
- being satisfied with who you are
The Grouchy Ladybug, Eric Carle - emotions/bullying
The Very Lonely Firefly. Eric Carle- making friends
From Head to Toe, Eric Carle
- body parts, movement
- social skills of listening, focusing attention, and following directions
Slowly, Slowly, Slowly Said the Sloth, Eric Carle
- unique characteristics of individuals
Best Friends, Steven Kellogg
- good times and challenges between friends
The Little Scarecrow Boy, Margaret Wise Brown
- passing on knowledge from one generation to the next
I Love You The Purplest, Barbara Joosse
- unique qualities in two siblings
- the love of a mother to a child
A Rainbow of Friends, P.K. Halinen
- celebrating differences
Do You Want to Be My Friend?, Eric Carle
- making friends
Pancakes, Pancakes, Eric Carle
- being helpful results in good things
Swimmy, Leo Lionni
- teamwork and strength in differences
Rainbow Fish, M.Pfister
- cautionary tale of selfishness and vanity
Amazing Grace, Mary Hoffman
- positive message of self-affirmation
Frederick, Leo Lionni
- respecting others' differences, mediation and imagination
It's Mine, Leo Lionni
- selfishness
Peter's Chair, Ezra Jack Keats
- sharing with siblings
Ruby In Her Own Time, Jonathan Emmett
- self esteem, late bloomers
The Lion and the Mouse, Bernadette Watts
- helping others
- differences
The Little Engine That Could, Watty Piper
- endurance and seeing a task to its finish
- also the engine (hero) is a girl in this story!
The Runaway Bunny, Margaret Wise Brown
- accepting positive boundaries
- the love of a mother
- trust
The Story of Ferdinand, Munro Leaf
- staying true to ones self
- uniqueness in individuals
- I love to read this with an accent and roll my "rrrr"s :)
There are so many good children's books out there. I often ask myself what I would do without them when I'm teaching... well, probably the same as now: Make my own. ^^
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Thanks for this great resource!
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