The following is a list of books for children that support social-emotional development:
Have You Filled Your Bucket Today?
Have You Filled Your Bucket Today is a story about each individual’s state of feeling full. It teaches children how to become “bucket fillers,” which are people who live a happy and rewarding life.
Watch a read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpF8LVZoClE
Lacey Walker, Nonstop Talker
We all know that one special friend that loves to share each thought that goes on in their mind. Unfortunately, that one friend can often interrupt other friends that are sharing something. That special friend is Lacey, the nonstop talker. Eventually, Lacey loses her talking voice and is not able to share her thoughts and feelings. What will Lacey do?
Watch a read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smf8T03FEqE
My Mouth is a Volcano
Sometimes, we just have thoughts that we have to say out loud with our words! It may not be at the best time, but we just have to let everyone know what we are thinking! My Mouth is a Volcano is a story about a boy that cannot control when the words come out of his mouth until someone rudely interrupts when he is sharing something special.
Watch a read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqLvnGr2JtA&t=146s
My Magic Breath
This story helps children understand and become aware of their anger and how to make those thoughts disappear. It steers children in the direction of a peaceful and happy mind.
Watch a read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9D98c_3b28
The Color Monster
As human beings, we all have a range of emotions that are sometimes hard to sort through. In The Color Monster, a colorful monster puts his colors, or feelings, into individual jars to help us sort through and understand our emotions.
Watch a read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_kPAkgE4Tk
The Recess Queen
A typical school bully runs the town at her school. One day, a new girl shows up to school and shows the bully how kindness, empathy, and friendship can go a long way.
Watch a read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKuOvIDZXQM
The Bad Seed
This little bad seed is angry and has bad manners! We eventually see that a series of events in his life led him to be what he is today.
Watch a read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWjW2lTMMiA
What if Everybody Did That?
That one small bad decision you made, what if everyone made that bad decision? What kind of world would that be? The whole world would be a huge mess if everyone did not follow the rules.
Watch a read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=811dQ_OisK0&t=239s
Stick and Stone
This book is about two characters who are lonely, but learn how to reach out and build a strong friendship.
Watch a read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntwNEBNt3DY&t=148s
Train Your Dragon Series
The Train Your Dragon series is a collection of books that teach children different life and social skills and how to cope with challenging events in life. The link provided below is the full list and series of Train Your Dragon books.
A House by the River
As a natural disaster destroys her house and her life, a young girls finds hope and courage to move on from this tragedy.
Grandma’s Purple Flowers
This little girls favorite memory with her grandmother is picking purple flowers, which are her grandmother’s favorite. After her grandmother passes away one winter, the girl is reminded by the purple flowers that her grandmother is always with her.
Soledad Sigh-Sighs Soledad Suspiros
Written in both English and Spanish, this is a story about an eight-year-old girl who dreads coming home each and every day. She invents an imaginary friends to keep her company until two girls in the neighborhood befriend her.
Home to Medicine Mountain
This story takes place in the 1930s. Two young Native American boys are sent to a government-run school. At this school, they are now allowed to speak their native language and can not practice their culture. This is an inspiring story about these two boys finding their way home.
Singing with Mama Lou
A young girl named Tamika goes to visit her grandmother, who has Alzheimer’s disease, causing her to forget who Tamika is. Tamika comes up with an idea to bring her grandmother’s memory back through scrapbooks.
Rise! From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou
This remarkable biography of Maya Angelou shares how she overcame childhood trauma and became the voice we know her to be today.
All the Stars Denied
During the Great Depression in Mexico, many Mexican Americans were not welcomed around town in efforts to send Mexicans back to their country, citizens or not. During this time, Estrella begins a protest and must find a way to survive.
Chess Rumble
Marcus struggles with anger due to his sister’s death and bullying. When a mentor invites him to play chess, Marcus begins to learn how to control his anger.
I Am Alfonso Jones
This graphic novels focuses on the Black Lives Matter Movement and victims of police brutality. After an off duty officer mistakes Alfonso’s clothes hanger for a weapon, Alfonso was shot and killed. In the afterlife, Alfonso meets others who were killed by police shootings and they teach him what he needs to know about the spiritual world.