Making a friend, and managing feelings are universal skills that need to be taught children. All of these read-alouds open up the door for thoughtful conversations.
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doreffeld
Taylor, our main character, builds a beautiful block structure. The block structure gets knocked down. She is devastated. A zoo full of animals try to help and leave Taylor feeling more alone. The rabbit comes to comfort Taylor, and simply listens. The rabbit stays until Taylor is ready to pick herself back up. This book does what picture books should do, captures a full range of emotions in a simple, beautiful, concise way.
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I walk with Vanessa, A story about a Simple Act of Kindness by Kerascoet
A wordless picture book tells the story about being bullied, new at school, alone, and left out. It shows what one person can do by reaching out to another person. The back contains teacher and parents tips about how to talk children through this book. There are many possible classroom extensions with this book.
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I Walk with Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness
The Color Monster: A Story about Emotions by Anna Llenas
Everyone has mixed up emotions some days, so does the color monster. He feels all sorts of things and needs to sort them out. This pitch perfect book shows children how to sort through what they are feeling, and always affirming every feeling is ok. The illustrations are beautiful, creative, and wonderful. It reminds me of Dr. Suess’ many colored days. Every parent and teacher should read it out loud to small people they love.
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The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions
Hedgehog Needs a Hug by Jen Betton
Hedgehog wakes up feeling a little blue, and all he wants is a hug. No one can see past his prickles, and all the animals shy away from him. Finally, he finds skunk, who also needs a hug. This time hedgehog has to look past the stink and be a good friend to get a friend. In the end, they both get a hug that will make them feel better. Simple, sweet, with a perfect lesson, reach out to the person that might seem stinky or prickly at first, and you just might find the perfect friend.
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Making a Friend by Tammi Sauer
Beaver is very good at making things, but he cannot make a friend. He tries very hard, but it just doesn’t happen. Finally, he makes a friend, a snowman. Racoon comes along and helps him. When they are finished, they see that snowman is not very fun to play with. However, they realized how much fun they had together. There it was, a friendship created. I love everything Tammi Sauer has written. I simply love her books. Buy them all, she is a genius.
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My Heart by Corinna Luyken
Corinna Luyken is a master of both illustration and writing. Our hearts are deep wells of emotion, able to open wide, break, and mend. This book makes an abstract concept, our heart, concrete and accessible for young children.
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Words and Your Heart by Kate Jane Neal
A delightful and poignant book about how our words and feelings are intricately linked. It reminds us all to be kind with our words and loving to ourselves. Perfect for preschool and younger elementary.
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Mostly Monsterly by Tammi Sauer
I adore this book, it has been out 9 years now, yet it has stood the test of time. Tammie originally wrote this as a valentine’s day book, but it came out all monsterly. Bernadette is a monster with a secret, she is nice and sweet on the inside, not a proper monster at all. She can’t fit in at monster school unless she learns to be a little more like a real monster. However, in the end, she becomes mostly monsterly, and stays true to herself as well.
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Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli
Mr. Hatch lives in a grey world, his days are the same, without joy. One day a mysterious package of chocolates arrives at his door, with a simple note, “somebody loves you.” These words change Mr. Hatch’s life, he begins to smile and care about other people, and everyone begins to care back. When the mail man comes back to tell him the box of chocolates was not for him, he is devastated. However, he now has made real friends, because he was brave enough to love them first. This is my all-time favorite Valentine’s Day book. Read it to every grade, older children love being read to, and young children understand the meaning of the story. I love this book.
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Beginnings and Book Ends 