BOOKS THAT TEACH
Championing Character Through Children's Literature List updated 5/16/10
A Bad Case of Stripes - David Shannon (respect for differences)
A Castle on Viola Street - DyAnne DiSalvo (citizenship, volunteerism)
A Taste of Colored Water by Matt Faulkner (justice, equality, respect for differences)
Agate by Joy Morgan Dey (celebrating differences, respect for self)
Alley Oops - by Janice Levy (anti-bullying, respect, "wrestling" with good choices)
America Is Her Name - Luis J. Rodriguez (compassion, empathy, confidence, pride)
America's White Table by Margot Theis Raven (heroes, citizenship, honor)
Annie's Plan by Jeanne Kraus (personal responsibility, self-discipline)
Armando and the Blue Tarp School by Edith Hope Fine and Judith Pinkerton Josephson
(culture, compassion, goal-setting)
Anika's Secret Wish by Beverly Lewis (caring, compassion, culture)
Band-Aid Chicken - Becky Rangel Henton (justice, empathy, acceptance)
Blabber Mouse - True Kelly (loyalty, trustworthiness)
Big Wolf & little wolf by Nadine Brun-Cosme (sharing, compassion, friendship)
Buddy Booby's Birthmark by Donna and Evan Ducker (respect for differences,
compassion)
Carla's Sandwich - Debbie Herman (respect for differences, acceptance)
Chicken Dance by Tammi Sauer (respecting and celebrating differences)
Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons by Amy Krause Rosenthal (character values)
Crow Boy - Taro Yashima (respect for differences)
Do Unto Otters - Laurie Keller (friendship, manners)
Earth Day - Horray! by Stuart J. Murphy (recycling, teamwork, conservation)
Ellison the Elephant by Eric Drachman (respect for differences, self discovery)
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson (friendship, respect)
Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed (fairness,
friendship, caring)
Getting To Know Ruben Plotnick by Roz Rosenbluth (respect, caring, friendship)
Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo (caring, compassion, empathy)
Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud (attitude, kindness, appreciation)
Heartprints - P.K. Hallinan - (caring, kindness, compassion)
Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose (respect, golden rule, peer pressure)
How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer (kindness,
caring)
I Hate English! by Ellen Levine (compassion, culture)
If Everybody Did by Jo Ann Stover (responsibility, self-control, stakeholders)
Juan Verdades: The Man Who Couldn't Tell A Lie - Joe Hayes (trustworthiness,
honesty)
Jungle Bullies - Steven Kroll (negotiation, friendship, anti-bullying theme)
Knitting Nell by Julie Jersild Roth (citizenship, knitting for service)
LEO the Lightning Bug by Eric Drachman (perseverance, attitude, courage)
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire - Diane De Groat (honesty, trustworthiness, cooperation)
Listen to the Wind by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth (compassion, teamwork,
hope)
Looking After Louis - Lesley Ely & Polly Dunbar (respect for differences, fairness)
Lucy Goosey Takes Responsibility by Katherine Ciriello Clark (stakeholders,
accountability, responsibility)
Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel (conservation, citizenship)
Milo Armadillo - Jan Fearnley (friendship, acceptance, gratitude)
Mine! by Kevin Luthardt (fairness, sharing, taking responsibility)
Miranda Peabody and the Magnificent Friendship March by Susan Debell (friendship,
bullying, bystanding)
Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban (managing feelings, self-control)
My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig (friendship, respect, conflict resolution)
Okey-Dokey Oakie by Peggy Sundberg (making good choices, using refusal skills)
One by Kathryn Otoshi (respect, tolerance, anti-bullying message)
One Grain of Rice by Demi (fairness, trustworthiness, great math extension!)
One Green Apple - Eve Bunting (cultural differences and integration)
One Smile by Cindy McKinley (kindness, caring, compassion, stakeholders)
Our Friendship Rules by Peggy Moss and Dee Dee Tardif (trustworthiness, negotiation,
cooperation)
One Thousand Tracings by Lita Judge (caring, compassion, empathy)
Rabbit's Gift - George Shannon (sharing, generosity, friendship)
Rotten and Rascal by Paul Geraghty (fairness, greed "eats you alive")
Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie by Laura Rankin (trustworthiness, honesty,
loyalty)
Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn (Chinese New Year, compassion,
generosity)
Score One For The Sloths by Helen Lester (responsibility, respect for differences)
Shhh! by Jeanne Willis (perseverance, listening, respect, peace/non-violence)
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney (nonviolence, racial equality)
Some Dogs Do - Jez Alborough (positive-thinking and attitude)
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli (caring, stakeholders)
Something Else by Kathryn Cave (respect, diversity, friendship)
Suki's Kimono by Chieri Uegaki (respect for differences, culture, acceptance)
The Boy Who Grew Flowers by Jennifer Wojtowicz (respect for differences, caring,
friendship)
The Butterfly - Patricia Polacco (compassion, empathy, respect, friendship)
The Colors of Us by Karen Katz (diversity, celebrating differences)
The Earth Book by Todd Parr (conservation, citizenship)
The Empty Pot by Demi (trustworthiness, honor, problem solving)
The Fiesta Dress by Caren McNelly McCormack (cultural awareness and celebration)
The Golden Rule - Ilene Cooper (respect, diversity, caring)
The Greedy Triangle - Marilyn Burns (acceptance, being satisfied with who you are)
The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown (caring, compassion)
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi (respect for differences, cultural awareness,
compassion)
The Only One Club by Jane Naliboff (respect, celebrating culture and diversity)
The Orange Shoes by Trinka Hakes Noble (caring, problem-solving, love)
The New Bear at School by Carrie Weston (acceptance, respect for differences,
friendship)
The Peanut-Free Cafe - Gloria Koster (respect for peanut allergies, flexibility,
friendship)
The Sandwich Swap - Queen Rania (cultural diversity, respect, friendship)
The Secret of Saying Thanks by Douglas Wood (gratitude, appreciation)
The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss (discrimination, peer pressure)
The Summer My Father Was Ten by Pat Brisson (citizenship, compassion)
The Wall by Eve Bunting (service, patriotism, honor)
Three Pebbles and a Song by Eileen Spinelli (responsibility, accountability, teamwork)
Tops and Bottoms - Janet Stevens (fairness, responsibility, work ethic)
Trouble Talk by Trudy Ludwig (trustworthiness, friendship)
Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge - Mem Fox (kindness, caring, friendship)
William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow (respect for differences, gender stereotypes,
modeling)
Will You Forgive Me? by Sally Grindley & Penny Dann (friendship and forgiveness)
Winston of Churchill: One Bear's Battle Against Global Warming by Jean Davies
Okimoto (citizenship, conservation, responsibility)
Wolf! Wolf! - John Rocco (trustworthiness, cooperation, friendship)
Ziba Came On A Boat - Liz Lofthouse (empathy, culture, hope)
Zoe the Misfit - Ellen Dee Davidson (acceptance, respect for differences, friendship)