Products I Love
Figuring Out How I Belong? (Feeling Excluded)
The Good Egg
Ages: 4-8 years
This is SO good for resilience-building. It follows the adventure of a girl who’s expectations are not met with reality when she tries to build something she has in mind and fails repeatedly. Every child can relate to this story because it highlights what challenges feel like and what it takes to overcome them. Highly recommend this one for developing a growth mindset!
The Smart Cookie
Ages: 4-8 years
This is a great book for developing a growth mindset and for dealing with our mistakes. It takes the approach that when we make mistakes we could learn from them, laugh them off, and let go! Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER (not once!) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, the entire town calls her The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes! One day, the inevitable happens: Beatrice makes a huge mistake in front of everyone! This is SO good for developing flexibility in our thinking and accepting our imperfections.
The Bad Seed
Ages: 3-7 years
A wonderful book about acceptance, self-love and the power of our thoughts. The main character is a bad seed, with bad manners, a bad temper and a bad attitude. He takes us through the journey of deciding he wants to be happy. A very cute book reminding us that we are all good inside and that is relatable for children. I really love the entire series!
Ricky, the Rock That Couldn't Roll
Ages: 3-9 years
This book addresses inclusivity, compassion, and friendship themes. Ricky is a rock that is unlike the other rocks--he is flat on one side, which prevents him from rolling like the others. This book is so great for teaching kids to embrace their uniqueness, and resonates with those who are struggling with a sense of belonging or feeling different from others. Love this entire series!
The Cool Bean
Ages: 4-8 years
This is a story about what it feels like to not feel like you belong in a group like some of the other kids. It tackles the concepts of embracing and accepting your uniqueness and finding your own strengths! This story also highlights how cool it is to be kind and compassionate. I love Jory John’s entire series (many of them are listed on this guide).
The Invisible Boy
Ages: 5-9 years
Such a heartwarming story teaching kids how small acts of kindness can go a long way. This is a great book for children who may be slower to warm-up and on the quieter side in social settings. It shares the experience of a boy who feels invisible in his class until he befriends a new boy in the class, and that changes everything. This story teaches how a simple act of kindness can transform an invisible boy into a friend… There is a discussion guide and resources provided at the end for caregivers that want more information on approaching this topic.
A Bad Case Case of Stripes
Ages: 4-8 years
A great book for kids who worry what other kids think about them or who make decisions based on other children. This is great for helping our kids develop some initiative, confidence in who they are, and leadership. Camila stops doing what she likes because she worries about what other kids think and do, resulting in her breaking out with a case of the stripes. WARNING: If you have a child who is sensitive to imagery, this may not be a great book for them as the stripes illness can seem a bit “scary.”
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild
Ages: 4-8 years
This is a great story about a tiger who does not “fit in” with the norms of his society and feels he should be able to go wild and do whatever he wants. He eventually isolates himself in order to play by his own rules but starts to miss his friends and the company. He decides to integrate both worlds and find a good balance between being yourself and still adhering to social norms. My daughter has read this book a million times!
Spork
Ages: 3-7 years
We LOVED this adorable read! A spork is not a spoon, and not a fork...so where does it lie? When is it useful? This is an awesomely creative story about figuring out how to belong when you are unique and different. I think this read is applicable to everyone!
Nobody Hugs a Cactus
Ages: 4-8 years
Carter Goodrich, shows that sometimes, even the prickliest people—or the crankiest cacti—need a little love.” Love this story! It helps kids understand how one’s own behaviors can bring them either closer or farther from others. It also explores what happens when we isolate ourselves and the feelings of loneliness that can come up. This book is also great for teaching kids to open up their minds to other perspectives and be more flexible in their thinking.
Normal Norman
Ages: 4-6 years
What is normal!? Normal Norman is actually the opposite of normal in the orangutan world. This is a fun and lighthearted reminder that normal is hard to define as we are all different and unique!
The Bear who Stared
Ages: 4-8 years
Bear really likes to stare--and he is not trying to be rude, he is just curious! BUT, no one likes to be stared at and the staring soon gets him into trouble. This is a great story teaching kids about different perspectives, good manners, social skills, and how to begin to make friends. It’s a charming little story!
The Lion Inside
Ages: 3-5 years
Even the smallest of beings have an inner lion inside their hearts, and even the largest of beings can be scared. This is a GREAT book about learning to not judge a book by it’s cover but also about the power of courage lies within every single person. I love the message of this story so much!
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon
Ages: 4-8 years
This book encompasses themes of not judging a book by its cover, being bullied, feeling different, self-confidence, and personal power. This charming story will resonate with any child who has been made fun of or fears what other people think. I love this book for every child, regardless of whether they have personally experienced bullying or not.
Can I Play Too?
Ages: 3-5 years
The Elephant and Piggie series is so darn cute for younger kids-- i love the simplicity but important lessons in them! They are relatable for little kids. This is a story about trying, even when the odds aren't in your favor. It's about including those who are different. It's about focusing on what you CAN do and choosing to be happy. It's about kindness, compassion, friendship and fun.
I am Enough
Ages: 4-7 years
This is a beautifully illustrated book reminding children what it means to be enough. Your kids are already enough. They are already unique and special. This is a story about loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another.
Where Oliver Fits
Ages: 3-7 years
This is such a creative story about a puzzle piece figuring out where he fits--leading him to discover that it takes a bunch of trial and error to figure it out. This is a sweet and funny story about self-acceptance, resilience, and self-compassion. I highly recommend it!