Good Behavior: Books For Kids

Last Stop on Market Street - A young boy rides the bus across town with his grandmother and learns to appreciate the beauty in everyday things. By the author of the celebrated picture book A Nation’s Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis.

The Squirrels Who Squabbled - The Book Snob Mom - Two squirrels (one more prepared for winter than the other!) both race to capture the last pinecone (and seeds!) of the season, but it turns out that in their haste to out-do each other, they both lose the pinecone and both almost lose some limbs to boot. The illustrations are bright and convey a lot of motion and emotion, and when the squirrels discover that it might be better to share (both their food and some laughs with a friend) than have what they want to themselves you’ll be smiling as big as the squirrels.

A New Chick for Chickies - For Chickies life was good. Life was perfect until . . . CRAAACK . . . the Chickies have a new brother! With engaging rhymes, endearing illustrations, and a soft padded cover, Janee Trasler’s books are perfect for babies and toddlers to enjoy. Big sisters- and brothers-to-be will be excited to take a cue from the lovable Chickies and cheep for joy when a new baby arrives!

I Am the Boss of This Chair - The Book Snob Mom - Friendship and sharing seem just as linked in books as they are in real life! The illustrations in this book are absolutely gorgeous, and the color combinations are especially lovely and unique. While initially “being the boss” of all the things seems most important, it turns out having a co-boss is actually a lot more fun, and the lesson is just as applicable to siblings and friends as it is cohabitating cats!

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? - B is for Bookworm - This book does a fantastic job of just laying it all on the table so it’s super simple and easy to understand how to make others happy, and, in turn, how it makes you happy. :) I love the message of this book and I actually love how explanatory it is, even though that’s not my usual style. There are even specific examples given. I also think the visual aid of the buckets is a great way to teach kids this concept! But any book that teaches you how to make others happy and yourself happy is a winner in my book!

The Rainbow Fish - The Rainbow Fish is an international best-seller and a modern classic. Eye-catching foil stamping, glittering on every page, offers instant child appeal, but it is the universal message at the heart of this simple story about a beautiful fish who learns to make friends by sharing his most prized possessions that gives the book its lasting value. A CHRISTOPHER AWARD WINNER WINNER OF THE BOLOGNA BOOK FAIR CRITICI IN ERBA PRIZE AMERICAN BOOKSELLERS ABBY AWARD WINNER AN IRA-CBC CHILDREN’S CHOICE #1 PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER and WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER

Llama Llama Time to Share - Mom of Boys - Sharing is a hard thing for children. This book is very cute and shows that sharing can actually be fun. It helps us make friends and have a good time with other people. Llama wasn’t sure about it at first when a new neighbor moved in, and especially when this new friend wanted Llama’s most favorite dolly. This book helps to even address the hardest part of sharing favorite toys.

Martha Doesn't Share - The Book Snob Mom - Sharing is hard, but it turns out that it can be a lot more fun than having all of your own toys but nobody to play with and no audience, and Martha discovers. The facial expressions in the illustrations beautifully capture how much effort it can take for littles to share, which I love, along with the realism in that even once you’ve decided you want to share… it’s still a learning curve :)

The Boy Who Wouldn't Share - The Book Snob Mom - This story has great cadence (which I’m a huge fan of) and the busy, quirky, somewhat wild illustrations give plenty of opportunities for finding hidden treasures that you might not initially notice on a quick read. Sibling rivalry, sharing and forgiveness blend beautifully into a funny story that seems just as common as the ordinary afternoon at home, and equally beautiful.

How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends? - The bestselling, award-winning team of Yolen and Teague present their fourth original dinosaur board book, a fun guide to friendship and playing nicely with others. What if a dinosaur’s friends come to play? Does he mope, does he pout if he can’t get his way? Does he hide all his dump trucks, refusing to share? Does he throw his friends’ coloring books up in the air? Time and time again, children are told to “play nice.” This brilliantly illustrated board book is packed with rhymes that will teach children how. Mark Teague’s laugh-aloud illustrations, along with Jane Yolen’s playful text, will show children that “playing nice” can be easy and fun. Perfect for parents to read aloud with their children, this book is as humorous as it is instructive.

Strega Nona's Harvest - A charming celebration of autumn’s bounty by perennial favorite Tomie dePaola Tomie dePaola’s beloved Strega Nona is back in a colorful picture book, perfect for fall and the changing seasons. With beautiful illustrations reminiscent of the artwork that won Tomie dePaola the Caldecott Honor for the original Strega Nona, this celebration of harvest and gardening will make the perfect addition to any Strega Nona collection.

A Day's Work - When Francisco, a young Mexican American boy, tries to help his grandfather find work, he discovers that even though the old man cannot speak English, he has something even more valuable to teach Francisco.

I Am Extremely Absolutely Boiling (Charlie and Lola) - Charlie and Lola are trying their best to beat the summer heat, but things go from hot to boiling when Lola refuses to talk to her neighbor, Arnold Wolf. He accidentally knocked her ice cream to the ground and won’t apologize. Now Lola says that she will not ever, NEVER forgive him. Can Charlie help Lola change her mind?

Sing, Don't Cry - Once a year, Abuelo comes from Mexico to visit his family. He brings his guitar, his music—and his memories. In this story inspired by the life of Apolinar Navarrete Diaz—author Angela Dominguez’s grandfather and a successful mariachi musician—Abuelo and his grandchildren sing through the bad times and the good. Lifting their voices and their spirits, they realize that true happiness comes from singing together.

Kitty Cones: What Makes Us Happy? - Discover all the little things that make the Kitty Cones happy in this sweet book of illustrations from Ralph Cosentino. Life is full of happy moments, from playing on the beach to chasing rainbows, and even running outside when it sprinkles! Join best friends Miyu, Yumi, and Koko as they discover what makes them happy. Filled with clever and endearing art from author and illustrator Ralph Cosentino, this Kitty Cones book teaches kids to value friendship, help others, and enjoy the little things in life.

The Little Engine That Could - B is for Bookworm - I think it’s safe to say that almost everyone loves this classic book with a can-do message for littles and adults! I love that the little engine shows perseverance, even when things are hard, and believing in yourself. It’s such a great example of having a positive attitude, and that we are in charge of our thoughts and choose what we feel. :)

Sharing the Bread - Celebrate food and family with this heartwarming Thanksgiving picture book. “We will share the risen bread. / Our made-with-love Thanksgiving spread. / Grateful to be warm and fed. / We will share the bread.” In this spirited ode to the holiday, set at the turn of the twentieth century, a large family works together to make their special meal. Mama prepares the turkey, Daddy tends the fire, Sister kneads, and Brother bastes. Everyone—from Grandma and Grandpa to the littlest baby—has a special job to do. Told in spare, rhythmic verse and lively illustrations, Sharing the Bread is a perfect read-aloud to celebrate the Thanksgiving tradition. “A warm and wonderful holiday treasure.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred “A paean to the pleasures of Thanksgiving, with rhymes so musical readers may just burst into song.” —The Wall Street Journal “A delightful holiday book that shows the heartwarming tradition of food and family.” —Booklist

Limelight Larry - Mr. Staccato - When you’re a peacock, you love the limelight. It’s what you do. Especially when you’re as handsome as Larry. Unfortunately, Larry’s book has made his friends intrigued and they decide to join in. Larry finds himself getting a little too cramped and decides that sharing the page with his friends is not what he had in mind for this book, so he forces his way front and center only to find his actions have left him feeling alone and scared. This book is silly and light-hearted. Regrettably, Larry isn’t the greatest of role models as he doesn’t quite learn his lesson in the end.

Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big - The Book Snob Mom - The cadence of this book is so fun to listen to, and while it’s full of ridiculously big fibs, the consequences for fibbing are equally ridiculous and add humor to the message that fibbing is wrong. I also love the element of sibling relationships—both the ups and the downs.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School... - First, some giant ants steal breakfast. Then there are the evil ninjas, massive ape, mysterious mole people, giant blob, and countless other daunting (and astonishing) detours along the way to school. Are these excuses really why this student is late? Or is there another explanation that is even more outrageous than the rest? From Davide Cali and Benjamin Chaud, the critically acclaimed author/illustrator team behind I Didn’t Do My Homework Because . . . comes a fast-paced, actionpacked, laugh-out-loud story about finding the way to school despite the odds—and the unbelievable oddness!

Little Croc's Purse - When Little Croc and his friends find a purse filled with money, they must decide whether to spend the money or turn in the purse.

My Heart Fills with Happiness - A board book that celebrates happiness and invites children to reflect on the little things in life that bring them joy.

I'm Grumpy - B is for Bookworm - This cute board book does a great job talking about emotions, and grumpy cloud shows that sometimes it’s easy to get down in a funk! I love the ending where he chooses to be kind and happy to make sunny feel better, and I think that shows a great lesson about how we can choose to do something nice for someone—which will make us happy, and get us out of the dumps!

Telling the Truth: A Book about Lying - Stories to Encourage Positive Behavior in Small Children The preschool and kindergarten years are some of the most important formative years of a person’s life. Habits and attitudes developed during these crucial years affect a child for the rest of his or her life. These years are also a challenging time for parents as their children test boundaries (and patience). How parents and children respond makes all the difference in the world. The Growing God’s Kids series is designed to help young children understand their feelings, develop godly ways to deal with temptations, and form positive attitudes and behaviors that will serve them well in the future. In Telling the Truth, parents and children are encouraged to address lying and discover the value of telling the truth.

Because of Mr. Terupt - Seven students are about to have their lives changed by one amazing teacher in this school story sequel filled with unique characters every reader can relate to. It’s the start of a new year at Snow Hill School, and seven students find themselves thrown together in Mr. Terupt’s fifth grade class. There’s . . . Jessica, the new girl, smart and perceptive, who’s having a hard time fitting in; Alexia, a bully, your friend one second, your enemy the next; Peter, class prankster and troublemaker; Luke, the brain; Danielle, who never stands up for herself; shy Anna, whose home situation makes her an outcast; and Jeffrey, who hates school. They don’t have much in common, and they’ve never gotten along. Not until a certain new teacher arrives and helps them to find strength inside themselves—and in each other. But when Mr. Terupt suffers a terrible accident, will his students be able to remember the lessons he taught them? Or will their lives go back to the way they were before—before fifth grade and before Mr. Terupt? Find out what happens in sixth and seventh grades in Mr. Terupt Falls Again and Saving Mr. Terupt, the can’t-miss follow ups to Because of Mr. Terupt! “The characters are authentic and the short chapters are skillfully arranged to keep readers moving headlong toward the satisfying conclusion.”–School Library Journal, Starred

Joy - Fern’s Nanna has not been herself of late. And when Mom remarks that all the joy seems to have gone out of her life, Fern decides to fetch the joy back. With a net, a box, and a bag to help her, she begins her search for joy. A wonderful and uplifting story that is guaranteed to bring joy to every reader.

A Bike Like Sergio's - When Ruben, who longs to have a bike like his friend Sergios that his family cannot afford, finds money in a grocery store, he has to make a tough decision about what to do with it.

Tell the Truth, B.B. Wolf - Big Bad Wolf’s first visit to his local library (as related in Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf) was such a success that he returns to tell his version of “The Three Little Pigs.” His outrageous spin on the tale draws skeptical remarks from his audience: “Isn’t that wolf’s nose getting longer?” asks Pinocchio. “It’s a cooked-up, half-baked tale,” snaps the Gingerbread Boy. And “Tell the truth, B.B. Wolf!” squeal the Three Little Pigs. Caught in his own lie, B.B. explains that he is a reformed villain: “Now I’m begging on my knees, Little Pigs, forgive me, please!” How B.B. turns his bad old deed into a good new one provides a happy ending to this fun-to-read fractured fairytale.

Sam Tells Stories - Eager to make friends, Sam decides to tell a story that isn’t true in order to win his new classmates over, but when he is confronted with the truth, Sam has to set the record straight and learns an important lesson in the process.

The Berenstain Bears and the Truth - This classic Berenstain Bears story is a perfect way to teach children about the importance of honesty! Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic First Time Book® from Stan and Jan Berenstain. When Mama goes to the market, Brother and Sister play soccer in the house . . . and end up breaking a lamp! When Mama asks them what happened, they tell her a series of whoppers that just get bigger and bigger. Will they ever tell her the truth?

Eli's Lie-O-Meter - Mom’s Choice Award for Children’s Picture Books (Gold) Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Honor Winner Eli knows the difference between pretending and the real facts. Pretending is what he does when he orbits the earth with Duffy, and the real facts are what actually happen. Sometimes in REAL life, keeping to the facts is hard for Eli. Eli has a knack for telling fibs and an occasional whopper. But when Eli’s dog Duffy gets banished to the backyard, Eli learns at least one reason for telling the truth! While it can be common for kids to stretch the truth, toss out fibs, or tell big whoppers, why does this frustrate parents so much? It’s helpful for parents to understand how kids experience a lie. Kids don’t really believe they are lying. Instead, the fact-stretching can be a convenient way to get out of trouble or to protect someone else from being punished. Telling lies may be a way your child can safeguard friendships. Or stretching the truth might only be a bit of fun. Enjoy this story with your children. and as they see the consequence of Eli’s fibs, they might understand the benefits of sticking to the truth. And to help you get the facts straight on fibs, lies, big lies, and whoppers, included is a Note to Parents by Mary Lamia, PhD, a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst who works with adults, adolescents, and preteens.

Let's Be Honest - Introduces the concept of honesty as a young child describes why it is best to tell the truth at all times.