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The Best Children’s Books About Helping Others

“What are the best Children’s books about Helping Others?” We looked at 163 of the top Kids Helping Others books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!

The top 21 titles, all appearing on 2 or more “Best Kids Helping Other” book lists, are ranked below by how many lists they appear on. The remaining 125+ titles, as well as the lists we used are in alphabetical order at the bottom of the page.

Happy Scrolling!



Top 21 Children’s Books About Helping Others



21 .) 14 Cows for America written by Carmen Agra Deedy

14 Cows for America

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Pragmatic Mom

Maasai tribal members, after hearing the story of the September 11th attacks from a young Massai, who was in New York on that day, decide to present the American people with fourteen sacred cows as a healing gift.



20 .) A Chair For My Mother written by Vera B. Williams

A Chair For My Mother

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Literary Feast
  • Pragmatic Mom

A child, her waitress mother, and her grandmother save dimes to buy a comfortable armchair after all their furniture is lost in a fire.



19 .) Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler written by Margery Cuyler

Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler

Lists It Appears On:

  • Look For Little Helpers
  • Read Brightly

Mrs. Ruler guides her students in discovering ways of being kind to their family members, their community, and each other. When Mrs. Ruler asks five of her kindergarteners to miss recess, she’s got a special plan up her sleeve. She’s about to teach a new golden rule: Kindness is cool! Soon the entire class is doing so many good deeds that their kindness bulletin board barely fits their classroom! From clearing the table after dinner, to helping the elderly, one kindergarten class is proving that kids really can make a difference. Count along with Mrs. Ruler’s class. Can all their good deeds really add up to 100 acts of kindness?…



18 .) Maddi’s Fridge written by Lois Brandt

Maddi's Fridge

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Mighty Girl
  • Goodreads

Maddi’s fridge is almost empty, while Sophia’s fridge is full of food. How can Sophia help her friend Maddi without breaking her promise not to tell anyone?



17 .) Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon written by Patty Lovell

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Read Brightly

Even when the class bully at her new school makes fun of her, Molly remembers what her grandmother told her and she feels good about herself.



16 .) The Berenstain Bears Think of Those in Need written by Jan and Stan Berenstain

The Berenstain Bears Think of Those in Need

Lists It Appears On:

  • Barnes & Noble
  • Grow Your Giving

When Mama Bear decides that the family has accumulated too many old toys, books, and games, they sort through all their extra stuff and take it to the Old Bears Home, the Beartown Children’s Hospital, and the Bears-Who-Care store.



15 .) The Giving Book written by Ellen Sabin

The Giving Book

Lists It Appears On:

  • Barnes & Noble
  • Grow Your Giving

The Giving Book is filled with activities that let you think about your hopes and dreams for the world. You can do “tons” of cool things and have so much fun while you help people and the world around you!



14 .) The Little Engine That Could written by Watty Piper

The Little Engine That Could

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Literary Feast
  • Goodreads

When the other engines refuse, the Little Blue Engine tries to pull a stranded train full of dolls, toys, and good food over the mountain.



13 .) The Spiffiest Giant in Town written by Julia Donaldson

The Spiffiest Giant in Town

Lists It Appears On:

  • Barnes & Noble
  • Grow Your Giving

George wished he wasn’t the scruffiest giant in town. So, one day, when he sees a new shop selling giant-sized clothes, he decides it’s time for a new look. With smart trousers, a smart shirt, stripy tie and shiny shoes, George is a new giant. But on his way home, he meets various animals who desperately need his help … and his clothes!…



12 .) We All Sing With the Same Voice written by J. Philip Miller and Sheppard M. Greene

We All Sing With the Same Voice

Lists It Appears On:

  • BuzzFeed
  • Look For Little Helpers

This joyful Sesame Street song embraces the notion that no matter where children live, what they look like, or what they do, they’re all the same where it counts–at heart.



11 .) Boxes for Katje written by Candace Fleming

Boxes for Katje

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Mighty Girl
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Grow Your Giving

After a young Dutch girl writes to her new American friend in thanks for the care package sent after World War II, she begins to receive increasingly larger boxes.



10 .) Each Kindness written by Jacqueline Woodson

Each Kindness

Lists It Appears On:

  • BuzzFeed
  • Goodreads
  • Look For Little Helpers

When Ms. Albert teaches a lesson on kindness, Chloe realizes that she and her friends have been wrong in making fun of new student Maya’s shabby clothes and refusing to play with her.



9 .) Horton Hears a Who written by Dr. Seuss

Horton Hears a Who

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Literary Feast
  • BuzzFeed
  • Read Brightly

A city of Whos on a speck of dust are threatened with destruction until the smallest Who of all helps convince Horton’s friends that Whos really exist.



8 .) How to Heal a Broken Wing written by Bob Graham

How to Heal a Broken Wing

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Literary Feast
  • Goodreads
  • Look For Little Helpers

When Will finds a bird with a broken wing, he takes it home and cares for it, hoping in time it will be able to return to the sky.



7 .) Last Stop on Market Street written by Matt de la Pena

Last Stop on Market Street

Lists It Appears On:

  • BuzzFeed
  • Look For Little Helpers
  • Pragmatic Mom

A young boy rides the bus across town with his grandmother and learns to appreciate the beauty in everyday things.



6 .) The Invisible Boy written by Trudy Ludwig

The Invisible Boy

Lists It Appears On:

  • BuzzFeed
  • Look For Little Helpers
  • Read Brightly

Brian has always felt invisible at school, but when a new student, Justin, arrives, everything changes.



5 .) Those Shoes written by Maribeth Boelts

Those Shoes

Lists It Appears On:

  • BuzzFeed
  • Look For Little Helpers
  • Read Brightly

Jeremy, who longs to have the black high tops that everyone at school seems to have but his grandmother cannot afford, is excited when he sees them for sale in a thrift shop and decides to buy them even though they are the wrong size.



4 .) A Sick Day for Amos McGee written by Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Literary Feast
  • BuzzFeed
  • Goodreads
  • Read Brightly

One day Amos McGee is sick and the animals come to visit him.



3 .) Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed written by Emily Pearson and Fumi Kosaka

Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Mighty Girl
  • BuzzFeed
  • Look For Little Helpers
  • Read Brightly

A young girl’s good deed is multiplied as it is passed on by those who have been touched by the kindesss of others.



2 .) The Giving Tree written by Shel Silverstein

The Giving Tree

Lists It Appears On:

  • BuzzFeed
  • CBC
  • Goodreads
  • Grow Your Giving

A young boy grows to manhood and old age experiencing the love and generosity of a tree which gives to him without thought of return.



1 .) Have You Filled A Bucket Today? written by Carol McCloud, Illustrated By David Messing

Have You Filled A Bucket Today?

Lists It Appears On:

  • BuzzFeed
  • CBC
  • Look For Little Helpers
  • Read Brightly
  • Shepherds Friendly

Through sweet, simple prose and vivid illustrations, this book encourages positive behavior as children see how very easy and rewarding it is to express kindness, appreciation, and love on a daily basis.




The 125+ Additional Kids Books About Helping People



#BooksAuthorsLists
2231 Ways to Change the World A Mighty Girl
23A Kid’s Guide to GivingFreddi ZeilerGrow Your Giving
24A Symphony of Whales Pragmatic Mom
25A World of KindnessAnn FeatherstoneGoodreads
26A Year Down YonderRichard PeckGoodreads
27
Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay
 A Mighty Girl
28Anywhere Farm A Mighty Girl
29Barnaby Never ForgetsPierre Collet-Derby, Illustrated By Pierre Collet-DerbyCBC
30
Be A Changemaker: How to Start Something That Matters
 A Mighty Girl
31Beatrice’s Goat A Mighty Girl
32Beautiful OopsBarney SaltzbergCBC
33BlizzardJohn RoccoA Literary Feast
34Charlotte’s WebE.B. WhiteGoodreads
35CircleMac BarnettGoodreads
36Come With Me Look For Little Helpers
37CorduroyDon FreemanShepherds Friendly
38CrenshawKatherine ApplegateGoodreads
39Dancing in the WingsDebbie AllenShepherds Friendly
40Diana’s White House Garden A Mighty Girl
41Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy Look For Little Helpers
42Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners Read Brightly
43Don’t Eat ThatDrew ShenemanGoodreads
44Drum Dream GirlMargarita Engle, Illustrated By Rafael LopezCBC
45Du Iz Tak?Carson EllisGoodreads
46Duck Soupby Jackie UrbanovicA Literary Feast
47ElmerDavid McKeeShepherds Friendly
48
Emmanuel’s Dream: the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah
 Pragmatic Mom
49Enemy PieDerek MunsonBuzzFeed
50Everybody’s Welcome Read Brightly
51Finding Grandma’s MemoriesJiyeon PakGoodreads
52
Follow The Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles
 A Mighty Girl
53Ghost Dog SecretsPeg KehretGoodreads
54Give Me Half!Stuart J. MurphyGrow Your Giving
55Good People Everywhere Read Brightly
56Hair LoveMatthew A. CherryGoodreads
57Home A Mighty Girl
58Horse and Buggy Paint It Out!Ethan LongGoodreads
59How Are You Feeling TodayMolly PotterShepherds Friendly
60How Kind! Read Brightly
61How the Grinch Stole Christmas!Dr. SeussGoodreads
62I Am Henry FinchAlexis DeaconGoodreads
63I Am the MessengerMarkus ZusakGoodreads
64I Can Make a Difference: A Treasury to Inspire Our ChildrenMarian Wright EdelmanGoodreads
65
I Walk with Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness
 Read Brightly
66It Takes A Village A Mighty Girl
67
It’s Your World! Get Informed, Get Inspired, & Get Going!
 A Mighty Girl
68K is for Kindness Read Brightly
69
Kindness Counts: A Story for Teaching Random Acts of Kindness (Without Limits)
 Look For Little Helpers
70King of the SkyNicola DaviesGoodreads
71LeafSandra DieckmannGoodreads
72Let’s Have a Dog PartyMikela PrevostGoodreads
73Listening with my Heart Look For Little Helpers
74Little SmokeyRobert NeubeckerGoodreads
75Lovely Look For Little Helpers
76
Make A Stand: When Life Gives You Lemons, Change The World!
 A Mighty Girl
77Mama, I’ll Give You the WorldRoni SchotterGrow Your Giving
78MatildaRoald DahlShepherds Friendly
79Maya and the Lost CatCaroline MagerlGoodreads
80Money Savvy Pig A Mighty Girl
81Moonjar Moneybox A Mighty Girl
82Most People Look For Little Helpers
83My Rows and Piles of Coins Pragmatic Mom
84Noah Builds an ArkKate BanksGoodreads
85Olivia’s Birds: Saving the Gulf A Mighty Girl
86One Look For Little Helpers
87One Fine DayNonny HogrogianGoodreads
88One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big DifferenceKatie Smith MilwayGrow Your Giving
89One Love A Mighty Girl
90Owly, Vol. 1: The Way Home & The Bittersweet SummerAndy RuntonGoodreads
91Panda CakeRosalie SeidlerA Literary Feast
92Pass It On Look For Little Helpers
93PatchDavid SlonimA Literary Feast
94Peace Is an Offering Look For Little Helpers
95Pumpkin Town! Or, Nothing Is Better and Worse Than PumpkinsKatie McKyGoodreads
96
Real Kids, Real Stories, Real Change: Courageous Actions Around The World
 A Mighty Girl
97Red Knit Cap Girl and the Reading Tree A Mighty Girl
98Rude CakesRowboat WatkinsBuzzFeed
99Rufus and Ryan Give ThanksKathleen Long BostromGrow Your Giving
100Sam and the Lucky Money Pragmatic Mom
101Sea Monkey & BobAaron ReynoldsGoodreads
102Seedfolks A Mighty Girl
103Shark LadyJess Keating, Illustrated By Marta Alvarez MiguensCBC
104Smart Pig Trio Bank A Mighty Girl
105Somebody Loves you, Mr. Hatch Look For Little Helpers
106Sophie’s Lovely Locks A Mighty Girl
107Start Now! You Can Make a DifferenceNew! A Mighty Girl
108Stick and StoneBeth FerryGoodreads
109Stuck in the MudJane ClarkeGoodreads
110Super AmoebaJennifer L. HolmGoodreads
111Super Manny Cleans Up!Kelly DiPucchioGoodreads
112Swallows and AmazonsArthur RansomeShepherds Friendly
113The Bad SeedJory JohnGoodreads
114The Boy Who Wouldn’t ShareMike ReissCBC
115The Darkest DarkChris HadfieldCBC
116The Day Dirk Yeller Came to TownMary CasanovaGoodreads
117The DotPeter H. ReynoldsGoodreads
118The Family BookTodd ParrShepherds Friendly
119The Gift of Nothing Barnes & Noble
120The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews During the HolocaustKaren Gray RuelleGoodreads
121The Huge Bag of WorriesVirginia IronsideShepherds Friendly
122The IslandArmin GrederGoodreads
123
The Jelly Donut Difference: Sharing Kindness with the World
 Look For Little Helpers
124
The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others
 Look For Little Helpers
125
The Kid’s Guide to Service Projects: Over 500 Service Ideas for Young People Who Want to Make A Difference
 A Mighty Girl
126The Lady in the Box Pragmatic Mom
127The Last Stop on Market Street Read Brightly
128The Library A Mighty Girl
129The Little Green HenAlison MurrayGoodreads
130The Little Red HenLucinda McQueenGoodreads
131The Little Red Hen Makes a PizzaPhilemon SturgesGoodreads
132The LoraxDr SeussShepherds Friendly
133The Mitten String A Mighty Girl
134The Monster Who Lost His Mean Read Brightly
135The Nice Book Read Brightly
136
The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money
 A Mighty Girl
137
The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle
 Pragmatic Mom
138The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade Look For Little Helpers
139The Snail and the WhaleJulia DonaldsonGoodreads
140The Spirit of Christmas: A Giving Tradition Look For Little Helpers
141The Teddy BearDavid McPhailA Literary Feast
142The Three QuestionsJon J MuthBuzzFeed
143
The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed A City Forever
 A Mighty Girl
144The Way Back HomeOliver JeffersGoodreads
145There, ThereTim Beiser, Illustrated By Bill SlavinCBC
146This Is How We Do ItMatt LamotheCBC
147Thunder PugKim NormanGoodreads
148
Twenty-Two Cents: Muhammad Yunus and The Village Bank
 Pragmatic Mom
149Under the Lemon Moon Barnes & Noble
150
UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World
 A Mighty Girl
151Waiting for the Biblioburro A Mighty Girl
152We’re All Wonders Look For Little Helpers
153What Does It Mean To Be Kind? Read Brightly
154What Is Given from the HeartPatricia C. McKissackGoodreads
155What it’s about: Look For Little Helpers
156Why Am I Me? Look For Little Helpers
157WidgetLyn Rossiter McFarlandA Literary Feast
158WishtreeKatherine ApplegateGoodreads
159
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? — a Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood book
 A Literary Feast
160You and Me and Home Sweet Home A Mighty Girl
161You Are Friendly (YOU ARE IMPORTANT) Look For Little Helpers
162You Go First Read Brightly
163
You, Me and Empathy: Teaching children about empathy, feelings, kindness, compassion, tolerance and recognising bullying behaviours
 Look For Little Helpers


11 Best Helping Others Children’s Book Sources/Lists



SourceArticle
A Literary Feast 12 Children’s Books About Helping Others
A Mighty Girl Making an Impact: 30 Mighty Girl Books About Charity and Community
Barnes & Noble 6 Picture Books About the Joy of Giving
BuzzFeed 13 Children’s Books That Encourage Kindness Toward Others
CBC 10 Books That Teach Kids To Be Mindful Of Themselves And Others
Goodreads Popular Helping Others Books
Grow Your Giving 10 Children’s Books About Giving
Look For Little Helpers 27 Children’s Books to Teach Kindness
Pragmatic Mom 10 Amazing Multicultural Picture Books About Helping Others
Read Brightly Children’s Books That Champion Kindness
Shepherds Friendly 10 Best Children’s Books That Teach Important Life Lessons