Books

The Reason Kids Like Hearing the Same Story over and over...

Books Read by Actors:

Storyline Online - Children's books read by actors encourages reading of diverse books.

Books Read by Astronauts (in Space!):

Story Time From Space - That's right! Astronauts at the International Space Station, in zero gravity, reading some of our favorite children's books!

Autism-Positive Books These titles were carefully selected in That Au-Some Book Club – a group dedicated to discussing books about autism and neurodiversity.

Children & Youth Books - Recommended Reading from Holden Village in the Summer of 2020

-another cufrated list by Compassionate Christianity

Picture Book Recommendations - from McKay Educational Resource Centre at Knox College. Teachers throughout the ages—including Jesus—have conveyed important messages through stories and parables: they are a powerful tool for teaching and transformation. Because they distill big ideas and concepts into simpler forms, picture books are ideal for introducing challenging topics and inviting listeners of all ages into deeper wondering and conversation.

Lifelong Learning webinar Children's Literature for Ministry.
Children’s literature can be used in a variety of ways from preaching to children’s chapel and far beyond. In this webinar, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard and Miriam McKenney share practical wisdom on using children’s literature for ministry in your context. They will share thoughts on why these books are resources for church work, how to select books, and how to share these stories in meaningful ways.

Did you know only 31% of children’s books feature a female character,
and only 13% feature a person of color?

Little Feminist wants to change those statistics. Check out their list of children’s books.

Their recommended 9 best books about gender identity ages 3-11.

Native American, First Nation, and Indigenous People's Book List recommended for 2-9 year olds

And their Books on Muslim Faith & Culture.

Books for Littles run by Ashia Ray offers books about Disability Rights,
Gender Equality, Wealth Inequity and Racial Justice.

Eight! Yes eight different websites to browse to intentionally get books that have multicultural characters and stories.

LGBTQ Friendly Books for kids - compiled by blogger Jen Walshaw, in The Mad House.

Indigenous People's Day: Family Action Toolkit by the Student Ignition Society - Includes a variety of resources for the very young through elementary age and beyond.

17 Indigenous Comic Books and Video Games for Kids - Help build positive understandings of Indigenous folks while having fun!

Teaching Cultural Compassion - By narrowing your search of over 1,000 books, this tool will help you find something new, something exciting, something perfect for you. You can filter by the age of the child you'll read with, ethnicity or gender you are hoping to see represented, or topics you want to take on with your young reader.

LEE & LOW BOOKS is the largest multicultural children's book publisher in the country. Their motto, "About everyone, For everyone" explains their priority as one of the few minority-owned publishing companies in the United States. They have over 500 free incredibly well done Teacher guides, here.

Every Day Books To Talk About Biblical Themes:

Activism:

Three Lines in a Circle: The Exciting Life of the Peace Symbol by Michael G. Long and illustrator Carlos Vélez tells the history of the peace symbol and how it became a powerful icon used in marches and movements around the world. Get a free peace symbol coloring sheet here.

What Do You Do With an Idea? —
by Kobi Yamada and Mae Besom What do you do with an idea...you change the world!

Malala: Activist for Girl's Education by Raphaele Frier and illustrated by Aurelia Fronty. Malala at 17 is the youngest person to win the Noble Peace Prize. Her activist started at home, with her family's passion for education, and they would not let religious extremists reduce their freedoms.

I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood up for Education and Changed the World written by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick

My Two Blankets is an excellent book for preschool and elementary age youth, as it follows a young girl who must leave her home and who moves to a new country. Now she is a girl who not only has two countries but two blankets where she belongs and feels at home.

Alzheimer's:

the remember balloons Written by Jessie Oliveros illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte. A 2019 Schneider Family Award Honor Book! What’s Happening to Grandpa meets Up in this tender, sensitive picture book that gently explains the memory loss associated with aging and diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

A Doll for Grandma: A Story about Alzheimer's Disease - A Doll for Grandma poignantly and sensitively tells the story of a girl's empathy and kindness in the face of her grandmother's growing dementia.

Arts:

Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay - by Susan Hood shares the story of children living in garbage dumps, learning how to make improvised instruments and AMAZING music now touring worldwide!

Luis Paints the World - For ages 5-10 about a brother's deployment into the army and the artful way his brother paints about the things he hopes his brother remembers while he is away. By Terry Farish, illustrated by Oliver Dominguez.

American Ballet Theatre presents Boys Dance by John Allman and illustrated by Luciano Lozano - Boys who love to move are center stage in this refreshing, rhyming love letter to ballet with the reminder that ballet is for everyone.

Belong in Church Library:

Wonder Walkers written and illustrated by Micha Archer - Language that is spare and economic yet profound and beautifully poetic. Only wonderstruck children, confronting nature’s gorgeous mysteries, could express themselves so intimately, creatively, and originally.

We are All Under One Wide Sky written by Deborah Wiles and illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier - Whether tending sheep in Afghanistan, watering tulips in the Netherlands, or flying kites in the United States, children enjoy one another and the spacious world around them. They share picnics and play music, play games and climb trees. A peace anthem with a timely and important message

Bodies:

I Love Me! -by LaRonda Gardner Middlemiss and illustrated by Beth Hughes. This energetic picture book teaches all kids to celebrate their bodies.

Rissy No Kissies
Katey Howes (Author) Jess Engle (Illustrator) -A lovebird who doesn't like kisses?!
Rissy's friends and family wonder if she's sick, confused, or rude. But kisses make Rissy uncomfortable. Rissy No Kissies carries the message that your body and your heart are yours, and you choose how to share. A note at the end provides further information for kids, parents, and educators about body autonomy, consent, and different ways to show affection.

Beautiful - Short, poignant book whose words and pictures together tell a liberating story for young girls (and boys) written by Stacy McAnulty and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff.

Don't Hug Doug
(HE DOESN'T LIKE IT) - Meet Doug, an ordinary kid who doesn’t like hugs, in this fun and exuberant story which aims to spark discussions about bodily autonomy and consent–from author Carrie Finison and the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of The World Needs More Purple People, Daniel Wiseman.

Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens - edited by Leigh Finke from Beaming Books. You'll get insight and support from an amazing group of LGBTQ+ professionals, as well as testimonies from young adult queer Christians. Most importantly, you'll hear the good news: God loves you exactly as you are. No matter your identity or where in your journey of self-discovery you find yourself, you got this.

Cancer:

The Lemonade Club - by Patricia Polacco captures the journey of a cancer diagnosis without shying away from its realities.

Cancer Hates Kisses - by Jessica Reid Sliwerski and Mika Song. A simple and appropriate way to talk with kids about cancer.

Emotions:

Covid:

Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too) written and illustrated by Keith Negley has brief but powerful words paired with trimmed down modern illustrations.

All About Anxiety tackles tough questions kids have about what's going on in their brains when they feel anxious and equips readers with new strategies to manage anxiety so they can thrive in their daily lives.

The Branch - Author Mireille Messier explores a young child's experience with loss and renewal. Good for lessons on perseverance, teamwork and initiative, also an example of caring for the environment by reusing salvaged materials. Illustrated by Pierre Pratt.

Knit Together by Angela Dominguez, A young girl loves to draw and her mother loves to knit. The girl thinks her mother's gift is better than hers because you can wear things you knit. There are so many things the girl would make if only she could learn to knit, but she struggles with it. They decide to work together using both of their gifts.

Sloth Wasn't Sleepy - by Kate Messner illustrated by Valentina Toro. A creative way of inviting children into self soothing and beginning meditation practices.

Silence -
Jerome W. Berryman, Illustrated by Lois Kilberg, ages 3-8. Silence is important for children; it is the stillness—both internal and external—that children need in today’s frenzied world. Godly Play founder Jerome Berryman offers children (and those who love them) a means to contemplate words and images, to develop a comfort level with silence that creates a foundation for wonder and the creative process.

Watercress by Andrea Wang illustrated by Jason Chin Driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl’s parents stop suddenly when they spot something growing in a ditch by the side of the road…watercress! With an old paper bag and some rusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect as much of the muddy, snail-covered plant as they can. At first, it’s embarrassing. Why can’t her family get food at the grocery store? But when her mother shares the story of her family’s life in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged. Together, they make a new memory of watercress in this tender story inspired by the author’s childhood memories and illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Jason Chin.

Faith:

Noah's Bark - Noah's trying to build an ark, but with the snakes quacking, the beavers crowing, and the pigs howling, he can't even hear himself think, much less make a giant boat. Discover how each animal came to make the noise it does today in this whimsical retelling of the beloved Noah's ark story. Written by Stephen Krensky.

What Is God Like?
By Rachel Held Evans and Matthew Paul Turner Illustrated by Ying Hui Tan - And whenever a child is unsure, What Is God Like? encourages young hearts to “think about what makes you feel safe, what makes you feel loved, and what makes you feel brave. That’s what God is like.”

Who Will I Be, Lord? by Vaunda Michaeux Nelson and illustrated by Sean Qualls. This book provides realistic examples of people's jobs and lives as this young girl looks at their examples and explores who they are and who she wants to be in light of God's calling.

Picturing God
Gorgeous handcrafted mosaics and poetic language bring to life the many metaphors for God found in the Bible.

Regina Persisted: An Untold Story - From a young age, Regina Jonas loved to read stories from the Bible. She loved to read Hebrew. She wanted to be a rabbi.

When God Was a Little Girl- By Joan Lindeman and David Weiss about God, creation and what it means to be human.

Our Father in Heaven: A Lord's Prayer Pop-Up Book - by Agostino Traini from Sparkhouse.

God/grandparenting:

Water of Baptism, Water for Life: An Activity Book by Anne E. Kitch and Illustrated by Shelley Dieterichs makes for a wonderful family devotional or upper elementary kid's devotional. Includes inclusive language for God as well as diverse pictures and wonderful connections between baptismal water and daily water use.

Someday We Will: A Book for Grandparents and Grandchildren
In Someday We Will, kids and grandparents separated by many miles dream of all the wonderful things they'll do together someday, from bicycling down a hill to whiling away the hours on a beach. Before they know it, someday is here!

Military:

Deployment: Strategies for Working with Kids in Military Families - by Dr. Karen Petty

Shooting At The Stars: The Christmas Truce of 1914 written and illustrated by John Hendrix. A story of a young British soldier on the front lines of WWI writing his mother about a shared Christmas Eve with the Germans.

Welcome:

The Visitor - Author and Illustrator Antje Damm. An older woman named Elise lives alone as a recluse, scared of everything outside her home. The play of a little boy named Emil brings him to her doorstep. A bond of friendship forms and Elise’s worldview brightens. Great for discussions about the importance of intergenerational relationships. Read how to make more connections here.

All of Us - by Kathryn Erskine and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger. With stunning, lush art to accompany the lyrical text, this book celebrates how honoring everyone's talent creates a world that's richer for all of us.

A Piece of Home by Jeri Watts and illustrated by Hyewon Yum. A well thought out book on welcome and belonging for people of all backgrounds; this particular character is Korean.

Hello World! - by Kelly Corrigan and illustrated by Stacy Ebert. This clever book invites us to recognize there will always be different kinds of people so lets get to know each other!

Big Bob, Little Bob - Despite the fact that they share a name, Big Bob and Little Bob are different. No matter what they do, they do not do it the same. Could they possibly be friends despite these differences? With humor and tenderness, James Howe and Laura Ellen Anderson depict the struggles and rewards that come when friendships are forged between different kinds of people.

Four Feet, Two Sandals- by Karen Lynn Williams & Khadra Mohammed, illustrated by Doug. When relief workers bring used clothing to the refugee camp, everyone scrambles to grab whatever they can. Ten-year-old Lina is thrilled when she finds a sandal that fits her foot perfectly, until she sees that another girl has the matching shoe...

Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey by Doug Kuntz and Amy Shrodes, illustrated by Sue Cornelison. This is a true story of one lost cat’s journey to be reunited with his Iraqi refugee family.

Drawn Together by Minh Lê, A mother drops her son off at his grandfather's house. This time together is hard for both the boy and his grandfather because they do not speak the same language. They do not watch the same TV programs. They do not eat the same food. They have no way to communicate with each other and the loneliness and discomfort between them is palpable. Then the boy gets out his sketch pad and begins to draw. His grandfather's eyes light up, he gets his sketchbook, and they begin to draw a story together. The amazing artwork in the book testifies to their growing ability to share a different kind of language and to see and understand each other in real ways as they 'speak' to each other for the first time.

Sugar in Milk - by Thrity Umrigar and Illustrated by Khoa Le. A timely and timeless picture book about immigration that demonstrates the power of diversity, acceptance, and tolerance

The Girl and the Bicycle
By Mark Pett
A little girl sees a shiny new bicycle in the shop window. She hurries home to see if she has enough money in her piggy bank, but when she comes up short, she knocks on the doors of her neighbors, hoping to do their yardwork. They all turn her away except for a kindly old woman. The woman and the girl work through the seasons, side by side. They form a tender friendship. When the weather warms, the girl finally has enough money for the bicycle. She runs back to the store, but the bicycle is gone! What happens next shows the reward of hard work and the true meaning of generosity.

Wishes written by Mượn Thị Văn and illustrated by Victo Ngai - a sparingly evocative picture book about family, love, loss, and welcome

Varied Abilities:

Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask About Having a Disability by Shane Burcaw and Matt Carr A great introduction to young children about varied abilities. Like the cover says, "Go ahead ask me!"

Benji, The Bad Day, And Me - by Sally J.Pla and illustrated by Ken Min. In this tender story about siblings, author Sally J. Pla shares her experience of raising sons with different personality traits and needs. Benji, the Bad Day, and Me embraces the philosophy that we are all part of a wide spectrum of neurodiversity. And on those really bad, rotten days, you can always count on family to be there for you. Amazing FREE Teacher Guide pdf available here.

Writing For Your Life

If you write, or read, books that matter – books with substance and soul – then this is the place for you. We are here to help you gain inspiration and knowledge to empower your writing. We have a TON of free resources and if you would like to subscribe to our weekly email newsletter with additional free resources you can do so. Writing for Your Life is particularly useful for early-stage writers, including those who are not even sure if they consider themselves writers.