Kindness, unlikely friendships, stories about bees and a great plum tree, here are 10 books you can read to your little ones about making a difference

History is filled with great people taking a stand for something (or someone). As adults, it can feel overwhelming to do things that can make a difference in someone's life or the world – where do we even start?

For a little person, that can feel even more daunting. Fortunately, Nooksy’s curated selection of kids’ books is specifically selected for their early childhood developmental value.  

Not to mention we have an entire section dedicated to books about Taking a Stand, specifically to inspire young minds to believe in their ability to enact positive change, no matter how small their actions may seem.

Have a look…

10 Books About Making a Difference on Nooksy

I Can Be Kind

By:
Amanda Appiarius, Heather Lester

"Changing the world isn't easy, but it's easy to start with you."In I Can Be Kind, Alice learns she can make this BIG world a BETTER world through small acts of kindness and helping others.

Read 
I Can Be Kind
 now

Human Town

By:
Anna Doherty, Alan Durant

It’s a lovely day. Let’s take a trip to Human Town. Those humans are always fun, aren’t they? Only there don’t seemto be nearly as many these days…

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Human Town
 now

My Shadow is Pink

By:
Scott Stuart

My Shadow is Pink is a beautifully written rhyming story that touches on the subjects of gender identity, self acceptance, equality and diversity.Inspired by the author’s own little boy, ‘Shadow’s’ main character likes princesses, fairies and things ‘not for boys’... he soon learns (through the support of his dad) that everyone has a shadow that they sometimes feel they need to hide.This is an important book for a new generation of children (and adults alike) which exemplifies the concepts of unconditional love, respect and positive parenting.

Read 
My Shadow is Pink
 now

Philippa and the Homeless Bumblebee

By:
David Greaves, Danielle Callaghan

"There was once a happy bumblebee, who lived beneath a tree..."One day the happy bumblebee has her world turned upside down when her beloved meadow home is destroyed. But to her delight a brave child comes to her rescue. Philippa and the homeless bumblebee embark on an exciting adventure together.Where will their journey take them?This delightful, beautifully illustrated tale gives children a unique introduction to the importance of bees and the natural world.

The Dance of the Bees

By:
Fran Nuño, Zuzanna Celej

A beautiful hymn to nature featuring haikus, set in a quiet corner of Japan.An old lady and her granddaughter enjoy strolling through the countryside in the middle of summer. The grandmother explains to the little girl all about the wonderful world of bees, and why these beautiful insects are so important for life on our planet. Years later, the granddaughter returns with her son to the place where her grandmother’s house once stood, and thanks to the dance of the bees, discovers something they’ll never forget.

Stop the Clock

By:
Maria Christania, Pippa Goodhart

On his dash to school, Joe is missing all the exciting things happening around him. In school, Mr Khan, the teacher, asks everyone to draw everything they saw on their way to school. Joe decides he must stop time to examine everything he saw and figure out why his sister was crying so much. Soon, literally, and metaphorically, things become much clearer, as Joe learns to appreciate the importance of taking his time and noticing what is happening around him.

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Stop the Clock
 now

Moon's Messenger

By:
Virginia Kroll, Zuzanna Celej

Moon´s Messenger reminds us of the importance of conserving and respecting the environment, and that we can all help to protect nature and biodiversity.

Read 
Moon's Messenger
 now

Under the Great Plum Tree

By:
Sufiya Ahmed, Reza Dalvand

Deep in the jungle, an unlikely friendship blooms between the golden-hearted monkey Miss Bandari and the old crocodile Mr. Magarmach. But what will happen when King Crocodile comes along to test their friendship? The story of the monkey and the crocodile comes from the Panchatantra, an ancient Indian collection of animal fables. Versions of this tale of courage and forgiveness can be found all around the world.

The Heartbeat of the Land

By:
Tannya Harricks, Coral Vass, Cathy Freeman

Cathy ran barefoot every day across the great ancient land, as her people had done for sixty thousand years before.And when she ran, she could hear the heartbeat of the land.Ba Boom Ba Boom Ba Boom...Then one day, Cathy hears a cry. She answers this cry and, with one small step at a time, the seeds of change are planted.Cathy Freeman has always been an inspiration to young people.Here, she does it again, through storytelling - just as her people have done, for sixty thousand years before...Listen, and you too, will hear the Heartbeat of the Land.

Mister Yes

By:
Carmen Gil, Miguel Cerro

Mr. Yes could do a lot of different, funny things…but he’d never learned how to say no. Even though it made him unhappy, he would reluctantly agree to do things because he would say yes even though he really wanted to say no One day, the unexpected happened and Mr. Yes found a powerful, new voice.So what about you? Have you ever smiled and said yes when what you really wanted to say was no?This is a fun story for readers of all ages about the importance of communication and being assertive.

Read 
Mister Yes
 now

In the pages of these remarkable books, these stories ignite the spirit of empathy and kindness, fostering a generation to champion compassion and make a tangible difference in the world around them.

Discover our entire collection of Books About Taking a Stand, and Books About Being Brave.

You might also like our helpful guide on How to Select Books for Your Child.

Plus: Read our hand-picked selection of books about changing the world and browse our collection of books about building friendships for kids.

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