Children & Teen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



# Books Authors Lists
22 31 Ways to Change the World A Mighty Girl
23 A Kid’s Guide to Giving Freddi Zeiler Grow Your Giving
24 A Symphony of Whales Pragmatic Mom
25 A World of Kindness Ann Featherstone Goodreads
26 A Year Down Yonder Richard Peck Goodreads
27
Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay
A Mighty Girl
28 Anywhere Farm A Mighty Girl
29 Barnaby Never Forgets Pierre Collet-Derby, Illustrated By Pierre Collet-Derby CBC
30
Be A Changemaker: How to Start Something That Matters
A Mighty Girl
31 Beatrice’s Goat A Mighty Girl
32 Beautiful Oops Barney Saltzberg CBC
33 Blizzard John Rocco A Literary Feast
34 Charlotte’s Web E.B. White Goodreads
35 Circle Mac Barnett Goodreads
36 Come With Me Look For Little Helpers
37 Corduroy Don Freeman Shepherds Friendly
38 Crenshaw Katherine Applegate Goodreads
39 Dancing in the Wings Debbie Allen Shepherds Friendly
40 Diana’s White House Garden A Mighty Girl
41 Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy Look For Little Helpers
42 Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners Read Brightly
43 Don’t Eat That Drew Sheneman Goodreads
44 Drum Dream Girl Margarita Engle, Illustrated By Rafael Lopez CBC
45 Du Iz Tak? Carson Ellis Goodreads
46 Duck Soup by Jackie Urbanovic A Literary Feast
47 Elmer David McKee Shepherds Friendly
48
Emmanuel’s Dream: the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah
Pragmatic Mom
49 Enemy Pie Derek Munson BuzzFeed
50 Everybody’s Welcome Read Brightly
51 Finding Grandma’s Memories Jiyeon Pak Goodreads
52
Follow The Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles
A Mighty Girl
53 Ghost Dog Secrets Peg Kehret Goodreads
54 Give Me Half! Stuart J. Murphy Grow Your Giving
55 Good People Everywhere Read Brightly
56 Hair Love Matthew A. Cherry Goodreads
57 Home A Mighty Girl
58 Horse and Buggy Paint It Out! Ethan Long Goodreads
59 How Are You Feeling Today Molly Potter Shepherds Friendly
60 How Kind! Read Brightly
61 How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Dr. Seuss Goodreads
62 I Am Henry Finch Alexis Deacon Goodreads
63 I Am the Messenger Markus Zusak Goodreads
64 I Can Make a Difference: A Treasury to Inspire Our Children Marian Wright Edelman Goodreads
65
I Walk with Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness
Read Brightly
66 It Takes A Village A Mighty Girl
67
It’s Your World! Get Informed, Get Inspired, & Get Going!
A Mighty Girl
68 K is for Kindness Read Brightly
69
Kindness Counts: A Story for Teaching Random Acts of Kindness (Without Limits)
Look For Little Helpers
70 King of the Sky Nicola Davies Goodreads
71 Leaf Sandra Dieckmann Goodreads
72 Let’s Have a Dog Party Mikela Prevost Goodreads
73 Listening with my Heart Look For Little Helpers
74 Little Smokey Robert Neubecker Goodreads
75 Lovely Look For Little Helpers
76
Make A Stand: When Life Gives You Lemons, Change The World!
A Mighty Girl
77 Mama, I’ll Give You the World Roni Schotter Grow Your Giving
78 Matilda Roald Dahl Shepherds Friendly
79 Maya and the Lost Cat Caroline Magerl Goodreads
80 Money Savvy Pig A Mighty Girl
81 Moonjar Moneybox A Mighty Girl
82 Most People Look For Little Helpers
83 My Rows and Piles of Coins Pragmatic Mom
84 Noah Builds an Ark Kate Banks Goodreads
85 Olivia’s Birds: Saving the Gulf A Mighty Girl
86 One Look For Little Helpers
87 One Fine Day Nonny Hogrogian Goodreads
88 One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference Katie Smith Milway Grow Your Giving
89 One Love A Mighty Girl
90 Owly, Vol. 1: The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer Andy Runton Goodreads
91 Panda Cake Rosalie Seidler A Literary Feast
92 Pass It On Look For Little Helpers
93 Patch David Slonim A Literary Feast
94 Peace Is an Offering Look For Little Helpers
95 Pumpkin Town! Or, Nothing Is Better and Worse Than Pumpkins Katie McKy Goodreads
96
Real Kids, Real Stories, Real Change: Courageous Actions Around The World
A Mighty Girl
97 Red Knit Cap Girl and the Reading Tree A Mighty Girl
98 Rude Cakes Rowboat Watkins BuzzFeed
99 Rufus and Ryan Give Thanks Kathleen Long Bostrom Grow Your Giving
100 Sam and the Lucky Money Pragmatic Mom
101 Sea Monkey & Bob Aaron Reynolds Goodreads
102 Seedfolks A Mighty Girl
103 Shark Lady Jess Keating, Illustrated By Marta Alvarez Miguens CBC
104 Smart Pig Trio Bank A Mighty Girl
105 Somebody Loves you, Mr. Hatch Look For Little Helpers
106 Sophie’s Lovely Locks A Mighty Girl
107 Start Now! You Can Make a DifferenceNew! A Mighty Girl
108 Stick and Stone Beth Ferry Goodreads
109 Stuck in the Mud Jane Clarke Goodreads
110 Super Amoeba Jennifer L. Holm Goodreads
111 Super Manny Cleans Up! Kelly DiPucchio Goodreads
112 Swallows and Amazons Arthur Ransome Shepherds Friendly
113 The Bad Seed Jory John Goodreads
114 The Boy Who Wouldn’t Share Mike Reiss CBC
115 The Darkest Dark Chris Hadfield CBC
116 The Day Dirk Yeller Came to Town Mary Casanova Goodreads
117 The Dot Peter H. Reynolds Goodreads
118 The Family Book Todd Parr Shepherds Friendly
119 The Gift of Nothing Barnes & Noble
120 The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews During the Holocaust Karen Gray Ruelle Goodreads
121 The Huge Bag of Worries Virginia Ironside Shepherds Friendly
122 The Island Armin Greder Goodreads
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
126 The Lady in the Box Pragmatic Mom
127 The Last Stop on Market Street Read Brightly
128 The Library A Mighty Girl
129 The Little Green Hen Alison Murray Goodreads
130 The Little Red Hen Lucinda McQueen Goodreads
131 The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza Philemon Sturges Goodreads
132 The Lorax Dr Seuss Shepherds Friendly
133 The Mitten String A Mighty Girl
134 The Monster Who Lost His Mean Read Brightly
135 The 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
138 The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade Look For Little Helpers
139 The Snail and the Whale Julia Donaldson Goodreads
140 The Spirit of Christmas: A Giving Tradition Look For Little Helpers
141 The Teddy Bear David McPhail A Literary Feast
142 The Three Questions Jon J Muth BuzzFeed
143
The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed A City Forever
A Mighty Girl
144 The Way Back Home Oliver Jeffers Goodreads
145 There, There Tim Beiser, Illustrated By Bill Slavin CBC
146 This Is How We Do It Matt Lamothe CBC
147 Thunder Pug Kim Norman Goodreads
148
Twenty-Two Cents: Muhammad Yunus and The Village Bank
Pragmatic Mom
149 Under the Lemon Moon Barnes & Noble
150
UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World
A Mighty Girl
151 Waiting for the Biblioburro A Mighty Girl
152 We’re All Wonders Look For Little Helpers
153 What Does It Mean To Be Kind? Read Brightly
154 What Is Given from the Heart Patricia C. McKissack Goodreads
155 What it’s about: Look For Little Helpers
156 Why Am I Me? Look For Little Helpers
157 Widget Lyn Rossiter McFarland A Literary Feast
158 Wishtree Katherine Applegate Goodreads
159
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? — a Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood book
A Literary Feast
160 You and Me and Home Sweet Home A Mighty Girl
161 You Are Friendly (YOU ARE IMPORTANT) Look For Little Helpers
162 You 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



Source Article
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
A.M. Anderson

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