7 Books To Help Children Find Hope And Strength During Stressful Times

Today’s children face a number of different challenges that parents may not always be able to relate to. Many parents want their children to grow up to be responsible and inclusive members of society, but may not know how best to accomplish this. Perhaps the following 7 books will help cheer them up and remind them of the good things the world has to offer:

 

1Can I Play Too? by Mo Willems

The story finds the main characters, Piggie and Gerald, attempting to incorporate Snake into a game of catch. Of course, it is difficult for a creature with no arms to play a game of catch, thus Gerald and Piggie must find a way to include Snake without making him feel too embarrassed about his lack of arms. By reading this, children will learn to accept others and learn to positively interact with different types of children.

Source: Amazon

Source: Amazon

2Counting On Community by Innosanto Nagara

This picture book from Innosanto Nagara teaches children the value of diversity and community. One of the challenges facing America is finding ways to integrate communities. Innosanto Nagara hopes to accomplish this by crafting a rather creative counting book. In addition to teaching young children how to count, it also teaches children the importance of community and diversity.

Source: Amazon

Source: Amazon

3The Peace Book by Todd Parr

The Peace Book is a book that explains to children that peace is about the little things as much as it’s about the larger, abstract concepts. The hope is that by reading such a cheerful book on world peace, children everywhere will practice these beliefs. It may be too much to hope that this will eventually lead towards world peace, but we can all believe that it’s a start.

Source: Amazon

Source: Amazon

4The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

A classic story about a peace loving bull mistaken for one that is more prone to violence. Ferdinand just wants to smell the flowers and live his life, but the people around him believe that he is a regular, violent bull. He eventually has to prove that he is peaceful in nature in the arena. This classic children’s story encourages kids not to judge others on their appearances.

Source: Amazon

Source: Amazon

5A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara

Innosanto Nagara hopes that this book will teach children to stand up for the things they believe in, as well as accept others for who they are. This powerful, innovative book will help children to understand that there is nothing wrong in fighting for social equality for all people. This may not breed the next ground of activists, but it could at least lead to a more accepting environment for activism.

Source: Amazon

Source: Amazon

6Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story Of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann

Emmanuel dreams of becoming an athlete, playing soccer, and running. Emmanuel’s aspirations are dismissed by others around him and his dreams are considered to be pipe dreams at best. Inspiringly, he does become a cyclist and rides 400 miles across Ghana in order to promote the rights of disabled people. This inspiring story will teach children about acceptance of people who may be physically disabled, as well as the strength of will power.

Source: Amazon

Source: Amazon

7I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas

In today’s day and age, children usually find themselves exposed to the concept of trans identity. So, regardless of whether or not this is an experience children can relate to personally, it is an important book for young kidsto read. The book is about the real life experiences of Jazz, a young trans girl who has gone on to become an inspiring spokesperson for the transgender community.

Source: Amazon

Source: Amazon

What are your favorite children’s books that deliver positive messages?

YouTube Channel: Motivational Picture Quotes

 

Featured image via Baba Mail

h/t Washington Post