One of my favorite messages to teach my children is that even though they are young, they can make a big difference. Children need to realize the power they possess and that their voice isn’t lost in the crowd. Also, I feel it is important to teach them responsibility for their actions and voice. They need to use their newfound power for good and to make a more beautiful and loving world for us all to live in. Teaching them this now helps prepare them to become even better citizens and be a positive impact in the communities they live in now and for the rest of their lives. I know its so cliche, but children really are our future. Let’s help them learn how to make it a wonderful one!
*this post includes affiliate links
“Who Will I Be?” by Abby Huntsman and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff- This is the sweet story of a little girl who is trying to decide what she wants to be when she grows up. All she knows is she wants to be a “helper” and a walk around her community helps her see just how many different kinds of “helpers” there are in her neighborhood.
“Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood” by F. Isabel Campoy, Theresa Howell, Rafael López- This is an inspiriting story about a young girl who brings her community together to transform her gray and dull neighborhood into a vibrant one full of art and happiness. I especially love how it is based on a true story and with the illustrator being the man who did the murals in the city this book is inspired by. So neat!
“What Can a Citizen Do?” by Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris- This is an empowering little book that talks about the big changes that even young citizens can make and our responsibility as citizens. Such a great one!
“Super Manny Cleans Up” by Kelly DiPucchio and Stephanie Graegin- This is a story that promotes getting involved in your community along with environmentalism and recycling. In it our favorite raccoon (Manny) is back and leads his community in cleaning up a local park. A great example of how to be a good citizen, taking action, leadership and a community pulling together.
“Good Morning, Neighbor” by Davide Cali and Maria Dek- In this story a group of animals go door-to-door collecting all the ingredients that they need to bake a cake. It shows that together we have more and together we accomplish more. The idea of pulling together and everyone taking part is at the heart of all close communities and good citizenship.
“The Dog That Ate the World” by Sandra Dieckmann- This is a powerful book that reads as a fable and features a happy bunch of animals who refuse to let bad circumstances get them down and make the most of everything. They experience some rough times and instead of falling apart they pull together in unity and create a happy and safe community despite the darkness. Such a gorgeous book!
“Never Too Young!: 50 Unstoppable Kids Who Made a Difference” by Aileen Weintraub and Laura Horton- This is a hefty book packed with examples of 50 kids all over the world who made a big impact on their communities. I love how inspiring this book is for children in showing that even as a child they are important citizens and members of their communities that can leave a huge impact.
“When You Grow Up to Vote: How Our Governent Works for You” by Eleanor Roosevelt and Michelle Markel- It’s a book written by Eleanor Roosevelt!! This new edition is over 70 pages of explaining how our democracy works. It covers everything from voting, laws, the White House and more. Such a great introduction to being an informed citizen of the United States and I am so excited to see it reprinted!
“The Curious Garden” by Peter Brown- In this story a little boy lives in a pretty drab community that is full of concrete everywhere. However, with a little love and nurturing he starts a garden that not only spreads enough to cover his neighborhood with happy green plants, but it has a positive effect on his neighbors and brings the community together. I really love this one!
“Her Right Foot” by Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris- This book is a really fantastic introduction to the Statue of Liberty. It explains the history behind it as well as the symbolism that it stands for. I love the focus on the statues right foot and how it is moving forward. It is good citizens that move our nation forward and we are the ones who create the future.
“Peace and Me” by Mikael El Fathi (illustrator) Ali Winter- This book is fantastic!! This book explains how the Nobel Peace Prize came to be and features 12 of it’s recipients form all over the world. The full page illustrations and biographies are so well written and I am so excited to share it with my kids. We are global citizens as well as citizens of our country and we all need to find a way to make a difference for peace and spreading joy and empahty.
“Remarkably You” by Pat Zietlow Miller and Patrice Barton- This book starts with a sweet celebration of how unique and wonderful each individual is. Then it focuses on how each child has something special of their own to offer and how they can use their talents to make a positive difference in their community. It is so encouraging and positive and an all-around beautiful book!
The Neighborhood Surprise by Sarah Van Dongen- This new release is a heartwarming book with a beautiful focus on community as a neighborhood comes together to throw a going away party for their beloved, elderly neighbor Mrs. Figg. It shows the neighbors cooking thoughtful dishes (such as vegan dishes for their vegan neighbors) and is simply lovely.
To save this list for later pin the image below:
Leave a Reply