Kind Action Read Alouds And Resources

by Gabi Garcia

When Esperanza finds a heart-shaped rock, she sees it as a reminder to spread kindness and love in the world. But when the school play doesn’t go the way she’d imagined, will she remember to give it to herself?

by Jacqueline Woodson

Chloe and her friends won’t play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe’s teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she’d shown a little kindness.s.

By James Proimos

Through simple acts of kindness–from reading to the trees and being nice to his little sister to cheering up the school principal and sharing cupcakes with strangers–Paulie learns that spreading peace isn’t that hard after all.

by Pat Zietlow Miller

From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving story explores what kindness is, and how any act, big or small, can make a difference―or at least help a friend.

by Kerascoët

This book tells the story of one girl who inspires a community to stand up to bullying. Inspired by real events, I Walk with Vanessa explores the feelings of helplessness and anger that arise in the wake of seeing a classmate treated badly, and shows how a single act of kindness can lead to an entire community joining in to help.

by Anne Sibley O’Brien

Three students are immigrants from Guatemala, Korea, and Somalia and have trouble speaking, writing, and sharing ideas in English in their new American elementary school. Through self-determination and with encouragement from their peers and teachers, the students learn to feel confident and comfortable in their new school without losing a sense of their home country, language, and identity.

by Anne Sibley O’Brien

In I’m New Here and Someone New, young readers explore the immigrant experience through both “windows” and “mirrors.” In I’m New Here, readers meet three recent immigrants trying to adjust to a new country and school. In Someone New, the same story is told from the perspective of the students who welcome the newcomers. An honest and heartwarming look at diversity, inclusion, and friendship.

by Todd Parr

The Peace Book delivers positive and hopeful messages of peace in an accessible, child-friendly format featuring Todd Parr’s trademark bold, bright colors and silly scenes. Perfect for the youngest readers, this book delivers a timely and timeless message about the importance of friendship, caring, and acceptance.

by Karen Kaufman Orloff

Baby smiles at Mommy, Mom keeps it for a while . . . and then passes it on. As the smile begins its joyful journey—moving from a first-grade class to a soccer team, from Gran to a garbage man, even to a puppy—it spreads happiness throughout the community, bringing everyone together.

by David J. Smith

This eye-opening book promotes “world-mindedness” by imagining the world’s population , all 6.8 billion of us, as a village of just 100 people. By exploring the lives of the 100 villagers, children will discover that life in other nations is often very different from their own. 

by Craig Kielburger

It was an ordinary morning like any other. Twelve-year-old Craig Kielburger woke to his alarm clock and hurried downstairs to wolf down a bowl of cereal over the newspaper’s comics before school. But what he discovered on the paper’s front page would change his life—and eventually affect over a million young people worldwide. It Takes a Child is a fun, colourful look back at Craig’s adventures in taking global actions.

by Carol Ann Trembath

Water Walkers is the story of an Ojibway girl named Mai. Her family members are walking around Lake Superior to raise awareness about the harm that is being done to the Great Lakes. At first, Mai is told she is too little to go, but her grandmother says, “Even little people can do big things.” As Mai walks along the lakeside path, she tries to find ways to help. Will the secret messages from the animals she sees on her journey show her how to help the water and Mother Earth? Will Mai prove that she is a clever coyote girl and can become a good water walker?

by Joanne Robertson

The story of a determined Ojibwe Grandmother (Nokomis) Josephine Mandamin and her great love for Nibi (water). Nokomis walks to raise awareness of our need to protect Nibi for future generations, and for all life on the planet. She, along with other women, men, and youth, have walked around all the Great Lakes from the four salt waters, or oceans, to Lake Superior. The walks are full of challenges, and by her example Josephine invites us all to take up our responsibility to protect our water, the giver of life, and to protect our planet for all generations.

by Monique Gray Smith

This vibrant picture book encourages children to show love and support for each other and to consider each other’s well-being in their everyday actions. Monique Gray Smith wrote You Hold Me Up to prompt a dialogue among young people, their care providers and educators about reconciliation and the importance of the connections children make with their friends, classmates and families. This is a foundational book about building relationships, fostering empathy and encouraging respect between peers, starting with our littlest citizens.

by Pegi Deitz Shea

Leadership comes easily for Nadeem, but how can he lead the other child laborers to freedom after he’s been shamed and beaten for his first attempt?One day a former carpet boy named Iqbal Masih leads a parade in the village. New laws have abolished bonded labor! Iqbal urges Nadeem to fight for freedom and to lead the children to a new school in town. Can Nadeem summon the courage to try again?

by Trudy Ludwig

A story based on From a Name to a Number: A Holocaust Survivor’s Autobiography by This picture book tells one moving episode during Alter’s imprisonment, when an unexpected person demonstrates moral courage in repeated acts of kindness to young Alter during his imprisonment.