Bookshelf

Books we recommend TO HELP KIDS WITH MINDFULNESS PRACTICE

Check out these fabulous reads to help kids understand themselves and others with more compassion and useful insights:

  • My Friend Is Sad  - by Mo Willems. Gerald and Piggie are best friends and Gerald is sad. How can Piggie be happy is Gerald is sad? A charming story about trying to make someone else feel better and not giving up!

  • Can I Play Too? - by Mo Willems. Best friends Gerald and Piggie meet a new friend, Snake, who wants to play a game of catch. But don't you need arms to catch? Find out what it means to accommodate friends with special needs or physical limitations, so that everyone can play.

  • In my Heart - A Book of Feelings - by Jo Witek. This whimsically illustrated book explores a full range of emotions, describing how they feel physically, inside. With language that is lyrical but also direct, toddlers through to older kids will be empowered by this new vocabulary and will be empowered to practice articulating and identifying their own emotions. 

  • Brave As Can Be - A Book of Courage - by Jo Witek. As children get older, they begin to feel braver around everyday events (like the loud bark of a dog or the crash of a thunderstorm), but how do they build this newfound confidence? In this lyrical, insightful picture book, an older sister explains to her younger sister all the things she used to be afraid of, along with some tricks to help make the fears lesson.

  • We're All Wonders - by R. J. Palacio. The unforgettable bestseller Wonder, soon to be a major motion picture, has inspired a nationwide movement to Choose Kind. Now parents and educators can introduce the importance of choosing kind to younger readers with this gorgeous picture book, featuring Auggie and Daisy on an original adventure.

  • Wonder - by R. J. Palacio. A warm and uplifting story about acceptance and being kind when dealing with differences. August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

  • Nobody Likes a Goblin - by Ben Hatke. A small goblin finds courage when he defends a friend. In this unusual tale, typically reviled characters are cast as heroes, and without moralizing, the book lets kids know that sometimes it’s the most unassuming creatures who have the warmest hearts. Themes of loyalty, courage, and friendship nicely complement the lively sense of danger.

  • Old Turtle - Questions of The Heart - Douglas Wood. Why are we here? What is the purpose of life? How do we find happiness? Once again, Old Turtle’s wise answers offer readers of all ages inspiration, solace, and the most important gift of all — hope. Timed to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the publication of the national bestseller Old Turtle, this book still speaks to the concerns of the world today.

  • The Adventures of Beekle - by Dan Santat. This magical story begins on an island far away where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and-at long last-is given his special name: Beekle.

  • Life Doesn't Frighten Me - by Maya Angelou (Author), Jean-Michel Basquiat (Author), Sara Jane Boyers (Author). Maya Angelou's brave, defiant poem celebrates the courage within each of us, young and old. From the scary thought of panthers in the park to the unsettling scene of a new classroom, fearsome images are summoned and dispelled by the power of faith in ourselves. Angelou's strong words are matched by the daring vision of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose childlike style reveals the powerful emotions and fanciful imaginings of childhood.

  • Rulers of the playground - by Joseph Kuefler. A gloriously rendered, hilariously deadpan tale of playground politics. A stunning picture book about sharing, friendship, and kindness.

  • Even Monsters Need to Sleep - by Lisa Wheeler. In the end, everybody needs to sleep! Even monsters. A great book for younger kids having trouble closing their eyes when the world is such an exciting place to be.

  • What Is Peace? by Wallace Edwards. A stunning, thought-provoking look at finding peace in children’s lives. Peace is a familiar word, its meaning both simple and complex. This book explores peace, and invites young readers to think about what that means to them through a series of linked questions and art.

  • When the Anger Ogre Visits - by Andree Salom > gives kids guidance about how to deal with anger as a natural part of their inner lives; rather than squelching anger or pushing it away, it invites kids to sit with and observe anger, removing its overwhelming aspects.  

  • How Full Is Your Bucket (for Kids) - by Tom Wrath > teaches the value of kindness though a smart bucket analogy that appeals to kids' imaginations. Even the grown ups reading the book will learn a thing or two about relationships!

  • No Ordinary Apple - by Sara Marlowe >  a friend gives Carmen an apple (when he wanted candy!), and she encourages him to smell, taste, touch and explore the apple in a whole new way - mindfully. This book encourages kids to slow down and appreciate every day pleasures even more than they already do.

  • Each Kindness - by Jacqueline Woodson > a powerful book about friendship, subtle bullying and lost opportunities. Does not have a happy ending, but kids can handle it! Really makes kids aware of consequences, and shows how easily kids can feel isolated at school.

  • Oh The Places You'll Go - by Dr. Seuss > timeless classic for kids of all ages. Highlights the choices we make at every stage of life's journey (as well as the varied emotional ups and downs we all face), using catchy rhymes and whimsical illustrations leaving kids eager to turn every page!

  • The Invisible Boy - by Trudy Ludwig > shows how small acts of kindness can help children feel included and allow them to flourish.

  • Inside Out - Disney Movie > if you missed this award winning movie on the big screen last summer, rent it tonight! A brilliant film that shows kids how emotions work inside our heads (as a core, interconnected team). Poignant, phenomenally engaging and scientifically rigourous. Kids will learn a whole bunch while being thoroughly entertained as only Disney can.

  • A
 Quiet
 Place
 - by 
Douglas
 Wood > beautifully crafted pages illustrating that sometimes the very best quiet place of all is right inside ourselves (and easy to find).

  • The Listening Walk - by Paul Showers > appropriate for very young children. Get ready to fill your ears with the unexpected and wonderful sounds that surround us when we go on a quite, listening walk. Then go out into the real world and try this with your kids - ssshhhhh. No talking. Just walking and listening.

  • The Kids Book of Feelings - by Mary Humphrey > offers simple kids yoga poses + feeling words (connected in a way that makes sense). Kids can naturally relate to the animal name and emotion assigned to each pose, An easy entry point to yoga.

  • Awesome is Everywhere - by Neil Pasricha > a modern take on mindfulness. The book becomes an iPad of sorts, while kids and adults get to marvel at the everyday awesomeness around us.

  • Buddha at Bedtime - by Dharmachari Nagaraja > for kids who have difficulty quieting their minds, or for kids who need positive, calm stories to lull them into a peaceful, pre-sleep state, try reading these enchanting tales with lessons.

  • Horton Hears a Who! - by Dr. Seuss > another classic for kids little to big, and their grown-ups. A remarkably compelling refresher course on how sometimes you have to have a big heart to really "hear", how fear of the unknown can sometimes make people behave very unkindly towards each other, and how "a person's a person, no matter how small"... all told through the eyes of Horton, everyone's favourite big-hearted elephant.

  • Grumpy Bird - by Jeremy Tankard > Bird wakes up feeling grumpy. Too grumpy to eat or play -- too grumpy even to fly. "Looks like I'm walking today," says Bird. Young children will enjoy this whimsical take about a bird who wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and the friends who don't let him linger there...

  • I Wonder - by Annika Harris > offers vital lessons in emotional intelligence, giving kids the confidence to say, "I don't know" in the face of uncertainty. Instead of feeling stuck or frustrated, kids are encouraged to wonder in the vastness of life and everything around them, and learn that there are some things even adults don't know. Kids and adults are invited to explore the mysteries of the world together, both not knowing the answers immediately.

  • The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes - by Gary Rubinstein > Beatrice is a smart, on-top-of it nine year old year girl, who has never once made a mistake... until the unthinkable happens, and she does. And its a mistake that feels like all the world can see. A must-read for every child (or adult) perfectionist, this joyously illustrated book brings us face to face with our worst fears (failure in front of others) and then shows us how in life we can laugh it off, move on and enjoy the ride!

  • Fall 2016 list of 20 amazing books that show empathy & kindness (from the Washington Post)!