Bully B.E.A.N.S. by Julia Cook

• This book can help children and adults understand why bullying happens and what they can do to stop it. Finally, a bullying book that speaks to the bystander!

• Activity: Create a bulletin board with the students’ ‘beans’ that reflect what to do when they see bullying

The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others by Bob Sornson

• The purpose of this book is to teach children how to approach and react to bullies in a positive way.

• Activity: Students can decorate Juice Boxes and reflect on a time they did the right thing.

One by Kathryn Otoshi

• This is a perfect book for bullying awareness lessons. It shows how ONE student can stand up and make a difference in others’ lives.

• Activity: Students may sign a pledge to make a difference

Restart by Gordan Korman

• What would you do if you got to restart? The main character in this story seemingly gets an opportunity to do just that. After falling off his roof and waking up with amnesia, he is ready to start again. However, he quickly realizes decisions he made in the past have lasting consequences and implications. This book tackles many topics like friendship, reputation, and peer pressure.

• Activity: This chapter book would be great to read with a book club or lunch bunch.

Say Something by Peggy Moss

• The power of speaking up instead of being a bystander.

• Activity: Go over scenarios of where students might find themselves conflicted to speak up.

The Secret Olivia Told Me by N. Joy

• The secret is represented by a red balloon that continues to get bigger as the book progresses. The simple illustration creates a perfect analogy for rumors and gossip.

• Activity: Play a game of telephone

Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz

• A hilarious play on the classic Three Little Pigs, this story is about three ninjas that need to stop a bully.

• Activity: Have students create their own Perseverance Pig, with goals included.

What Does It Mean to Be an Entrepreneur? by Rana DiOrio

• It’s easy to focus on academic requirements for a job, but this book focuses on the skills and traits you can’t quantify. Our students will have jobs that haven’t even been created yet, so I love the idea of focusing on the character traits needed to be successful in any career.

• Activity: Have students visit your favorite college and career website.

What Shoes Will You Wear? by Julia Cook

• Career clusters are presented and skills needed in that job. This book is an excellent resource that will spark children's imaginations leading them to discover what they enjoy and want to become.

• Activity: Have students think of a career they might have one day. Let them design the shoes they could wear to that job.

Brave by Stacy McAnulty

• Being brave is more than just facing your fears. Explore what it means to be brave

• Ask students to complete the sentence “I am brave when..” by drawing or writing. Share their answers with others.

The Color Monster by Anna Llenas

• A pop-up book that depicts a new feeling on each page.

• Activity: Have students create their own character to match a feeling of their choice.

The Feelings Book by Todd Parr

• Illustrates the wide range of moods we all experience, even the sometimes nonsensical emotions that we all feel. This book will inspire kids to discuss their multitude of feelings.

• Activity: Use emojis to allow students to connect the feelings to the emojis

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? By Carol McCloud

• This heartwarming book encourages positive behavior by using the concept of an invisible bucket to show children how easy and rewarding it is to express kindness, appreciation, and love by “filling buckets.”

• Activity: Have students use a bucket print out and stone cut outs to write things to fill each others bucket

Double-Dip Feelings by Barbara Cain

• This feelings book has a bit of a twist! On each page, the author describes a scenario and then explains two opposite feelings that can happen in the scenario. For example, a student may feel nervous AND excited on the first day of school.

• Activity: Have student reflect and discuss a time they felt multiple emotions

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss

• This book goes through different emotions in a fun and exciting way.

• Activity: Reflection on what emotions they have felt that day

Don’t Pop Your Cork on Monday by Adolph Moser

• This book brings cognitive behavioral approaches to managing stress.

• Activity: Students can imitate the different ways we act like “animals” when reacting to stress.

Soda Pop Head by Julia Cook

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• Activity: Complete an activity page from this activity book

Wilma Jean the Worry Machine by Julia Cook

• This fun and humorous book addresses the problem of anxiety in a way that relates to children of all ages. It offers creative strategies for parents and teachers to use that can lessen the severity of anxiety. The goal of the book is to give children the tools needed to feel more in control of their anxiety.

Activity: Have students reflect on ways they can calm themselves when they feel worry

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

• Told from two different points of view, the main characters struggle with hard questions about tolerance, acceptance, and racial tension.

• Activity: Have students complete the Cross the Line Activity

Enemy Pie by Derek Munson

• Engaging book about the recipe for friendship.

• Activity: Have students create their own recipe for enemy pie.

It Takes A Village by Hillary Rodham Clinton

• The author notes that her inspiration was a simple message: “We are all in this together.” The book is poignant and thoughtfully poses the question, “What can we do to change the world?”.

• Activity: Partner with your favorite teamwork game

Making Friends Is an Art! by Julia Cook

• How to practice the art of friendship and getting along with others.

• Activity: Create a crayon-crown with each color. Write a way to be a good friend in each section

Personal Space Camp by Julia Cook

• Discusses the meaning and purpose of personal space.

• Activity: Get out the hula-hoop and let students experiment with the concept of personal space.

Pirate, Viking, & Scientist by Jared Chapman

• A great way to talk about a friendship of three and feeling stuck in the middle between two friends who don’t get along

• Activity: Debrief by discussing the pressures of friendship. Have students create a “formula for friendship” or have partners complete a Venn Diagram

Zinnia and Dot by Lisa Campbell Ernst

• Story about two hens who have trouble getting along and when the weasel disrupts the chicken coop, things really get tough. This story is a great way to help students understand cooperation, teamwork, and sharing.

Activity: Have students complete a coloring sheet, but each child only gets one color at a time. They must practice sharing and patience to complete their drawing.

The Goodbye Book by Todd Parr

• This beautiful picture book is funny and colorful, making it easy to talk about such a hard topic.

• Activity: This book works to talk about all types of loss. After reading, create a memory book about the lost loved one or pet.

The Invisible String

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• Activity:

Tear Soup

Cat Heaven

Dog Heaven

The Next Place

My Mouth is A Volcano by Julia Cook

• Takes an empathetic approach to the habit of interrupting and teaches children a witty technique to help them manage their rambunctious thoughts and words.

Activity: Complete an activity page from this activity book

After The Fall by Dan Santat

• thoughtfully speaks to getting up after a “fall” or trauma and facing your fears.

• Activity: Pair with your favorite team activity like the marshmallow tower challenge

Leo the Lightning Bug by Eric Drachman

• A great way to help young students understand perseverance and growth mindset. Poor little Leo, all his fellow lightning bugs have found their light, but he has not yet!

• Activity: Have students complete activity in patience

Perfectly Messed Up Story by Patrick McDonnell

• In this book, the main character is trying to write a story and it keeps getting messed up. The character experiences many emotions, such as confusion, anger, and sadness, but does not give up.

• Activity: Have students complete coloring page from the book

Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz

• A hilarious play on the classic Three Little Pigs, this story is about three ninjas that need to stop a bully.

• Activity: Have students create their own Perseverance Pig, with goals included.

Beautiful by Stacy McAnulty

• Empowers girls to look past their outer qualities and focus on intrinsic strengths that make them truly beautiful.

• Activity: Cut out paper hearts and have students write down one thing they love about themselves, then use the hearts to create a bulletin board.

Perfectly Messed Up Story by Patrick McDonnell

• In this book, the main character is trying to write a story and it keeps getting messed up. The character experiences many emotions, such as confusion, anger, and sadness, but does not give up.

Activity: Have students complete coloring page from the book