This book list is one that I feel is is important. Each book was carefully selected for this theme and is one that I really believe in. This list was created as a companion to our Spread Love Challenge that we participate in annually. It is a challenge/book advent that has 14 ideas for random acts of kindness that you can perform to spread love in your community along with this book list so that you can read at least one book on that theme every day.
I include free printables to make things extra easy for you and I really am quite proud of it and the mission it is on to help change the world little by little for the better. Feel free to check it out HERE, it is wonderful for any time of year. Whether or not you are interested in the challenge, these books are fantastic ones to look up and make amazing additions to any bookshelf. (Tip: You can find a printable list of these books on the Spread Love Challenge Post to print out and take to your library.) Enjoy!
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“Who Will I Be?” by Abby Huntsman and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff- A little girl sees all the “helpers” in her community and wonders how she may want to contribute.
“Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed” by Emily Pearson and Fumi Kosaka- The story of how one ordinary good deed has a ginormous impact as it starts a chain effect.
“Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch” by Eileen Spinelli and Paul Yalowitz- The story of how knowing you are lord can change absolutely everything. Definitely a powerful one.
“The Thank You Book” by Mo Willems- A simple and fun book all about spreading gratitude and appreciating those around you.
“Maybe Something Beautiful” by F. Isabel Campoy & Theresa Howell- Based on a true story of how something as simple as painted murals transformed a community.
“Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully” by Audrey Penn & Barbara Leonard Gibson- A gentle and kind approach to how love and kindness can break barriers, even with those who are hard to connect with.
“Extra Yarn” by Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen- A beautiful metaphor for how simple things can become magical when they spread joy.
“Swimmy” by Leo Lionni- A powerful message wrapped in the simple story of a lithe fish who teaches his community that we are much stronger when we are together.
“Miles of Smiles” by Karen Kaufman Orloff & Luciano Lozano- A beautiful book that features a single smile that gets “passed on” from one person to the next until the whole neighborhood is full of joy.
“Love Is” by Diane Adams and Claire Keane- A tender book about the true meaning of love all told through a little girl and her pet duckling.
“The Big Umbrella” by Amy June Bates and Juniper Bates- This book uses the metaphor of an umbrella to make the point that there is room for everyone, new ideas and all our uniqueness when it comes to love and acceptance.
“The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade” by Justin Roberts & Christian Robinson- The story of how even the smallest individual can have the most powerful influence.
“Strictly No Elephants” by Lisa Mantchev- A sweet story about inclusion and acceptance with darling illustrations.
“The Curious Garden” by Peter Brown- A little boy grows a little garden that spreads and soon begins to transform his whole community.
“Hooray for Hat” by Brian Won- In this book hats are passed from person to person and along with them joy is passed. All about spreading happiness and kindness.
“Be a Friend” by Salina Yoon- This wordless beauty shows how a little girl reaches out and befriends a little boy and she didn’t even need words to do it.
“Be Kind” by Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill- A beautiful book about the true meaning of kindness with relatable applications.
“A Hat for Mrs. Goldman” by Michelle Edwards and G. Brian Karas- The story of how everyone needs kind gestures and how every act of love, no matter how small, is appreciated.
“What Can a Citizen Do?” by Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris- An empowering book about what it means to be a citizen.
“It Came in the Mail” by Ben Clantoon- A book that demonstrates how much more wonderful it is to give than receive and the joy that comes with it.
“Super Manny Cleans Up” by Kelly DiPucchio and Stephanie Graegin- In this book Manny sees a job in his community that needs to be done and starts a chain of events to do it.
“Good Morning Neighbor” by Davide Cali and Maria Dek- A simple story that shows that we all have more when we contribute and share.
“One” by Kathryn Otoshi- An empowering book with the big message that oeach individual holds incredible power and potential to create change.
“The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister and J Alison James- A story that shows that giving brings joy and sharing can make a big difference.
“The Invisible Boy” by Trudy Ludwig and Patrice Barton- A beautiful tribute to the truth that even the simplest acts can include others and help spread love.
“Rain” by Aaron Meshon- Another story of how simple, random acts of kindness have the power to affect change.
“I Walk with Vanessa” by Kerascoët- A wordless story of how the simple act of walking home with an excluded child can help them feel loved and inspire others to do the same.
“My Little Gifts” by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey- A delightful book that points out all the many ways we can spread love and all we have to give that isn’t necessarily wrapped in a bow.
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