We love using kindness books in classroom lessons and in counseling sessions. We asked Laura from The Pawsitive School Counselor and Carol Miller from Counseling Essentials to share their go-to children's books on kindness. Check to see if they are some of your favorites too.

Kindness Books for Younger Students

When it comes to kindness, caring, and Valentine’s Day, there are so many great book titles to choose from. For emerging readers, I love the Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems. Books like My Friend Is Sad, Can I Play Too?, and Should I Share My Ice Cream? are wonderful introductions to friendship and empathy.

Another book for younger students is What Does It Mean To Be Kind by Rana DiOrio. This book gives many examples of kindness, which provides an easy-to-understand visual for younger students.

For older elementary students, Each Kindness is still my go-to book. The story and illustrations lend themselves to deep conversation about first impressions and the ripple effects of our actions – both kind and unkind.

Special Kindness Books

I honestly don’t use many books in my counseling lessons, even though kids love them. The ones I do use are my absolute favorites, and when I share them with the students, they become even more special. When it comes time to teach kindness, I do have 2 books that are staples in my program.

Enemy Pie by Derek Munson is the first book I added to my collection, and I love reading it every year. It’s a wonderful story about turning one’s enemy into a friend and how spending time getting to know someone can make all the difference in the world. I have used this with middle schoolers and elementary students, and it is their favorite too!

The Jelly Donut Difference by Maria Dismondy was recommended to me this year by a few fellow counselors. This is a heartwarming story about how small acts of kindness can transform not only how others feel but also how you feel. I used this lesson to accompany the book, and it, too, was a hit with students. The pennants made a great display showing how we can spread kindness ourselves.