I am a big fan of using books to help teach social-emotional learning. I have compiled this list of some of my very favorite picture books that are useful to kick-start discussions with kids. Enjoy.

On being yourself

• I Am Enough by Grace Byers

• Dear Girl by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal

• You're Perfect the Way You Are! by Richard Nelson

• Julian is a mermaid by Jessica Love

• I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings

• I will be fierce by Bea Birdson

• Little Sweet Potato by Amy Bloom

• Red by Michael Hall

• Giraffe Problems by Jory John

• Red by Jan de Kinder

• Mr Tiger goes wild by Peter Brown

On race

• The Colors of Us by Karen Katz

• Let's Talk About Race by Julius Lester Race

• Last stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena

• The Day you Begin by Jacquline Woodson

• My Hair is a Garden by Cozbi Carbera

• I am not a number by Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer

• Moses: When Harriet Tubman led her people to freedom by Carol Boston Weatherford

• Skin Again by bell hooks

• The Name Jar byYangsook Choi

• Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine

On bullying

• Just Kidding by Trudy Ludwig

• Trouble Talk by Trudy Ludwig

• Confessions of a former bully by Trudy Ludwig

• Sorry by Trudy Ludwig

• Gifts from the enemy by Trudy Ludwig

• Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

On Feelings

• Steps and Stones by Gail Silver

• Ahn's Anger by Gail Silver

• Listening to My Body: A guide to helping kids understand the connection between their sensations and feelings so that they can get better at figuring out what they need by Gabi Garcia

• When sadness is at your door by Eva Eland

• Tear Soup by Pat Schwiebert and Chuck DeKlyen

• The Rough Patch by Brian Lies

• Accident! by Andrea Tsurumi

• The unbudgeable curmudgeon by Charlotte Milner

• The boring book by Shinuko Yoshitake

• No fits Nilson by Zachariah O’Hora

On Mindfulness

• Puppy Mind by Andrew Jordan Nance

• I wish you more by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

• Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

• What Does is Mean to Be Kind by Rana DiOrio

• What does it mean to be present by Rana DiOrio

• Moody Cow Meditates by Kerry MacLean

• Stone Soup by Jon Muth

• What is given from the heart by Patricia Kissack

• Breathe Like a Bear: 30 Mindful Moments for Kids to Feel Calm and Focused Anytime, Anywhere by Kira Willey

On Friendship

• The buddy bench by Patty Brozo

• The epic adventure of huggie and stick by Drew Daywalt

• Lost and Found – Oliver Jeffers

• Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev

• The Rabbit Listened by Cory Doerrfield

• The boy and the giant by David Litchfield

• Rain! By Linda Ashman

On Learning

• Making A Splash - Growth Mindset for Kids by Carol E. Reiley

• Buckets, Dippers, and Lids: Secrets to Your Happiness by Carol McCloud

• All the Ways to Be Smart by Davina Bell

• Just Ask by Sonia Sotomayor

• Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak

• Quiet please Owen McPhee by Trudy Ludwig

• I Said No! A Kid-to-kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private by Kimberly King

• We don’t eat our classmates by Ryan Higgins