be nice. Books & Lesson Plans
All of these books display kindness. There is a Common Core Standard Lesson Plan that correlates with each book. Keep scrolling to see other suggested books!
Kindergarten
Knocked from her mother’s safe embrace by an attacking owl, Stellaluna lands headfirst in a bird’s nest. This adorable baby fruit bat’s world is literally turned upside down when she is adopted by the occupants of the nest and adapts to their peculiar bird habits.
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be nice. Lesson Plan
1st Grade
It was the perfect summer. That is, until Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street and became neighborhood enemy number one. Luckily Dad had a surefire way to get rid of enemies: Enemy Pie.
be nice. Lesson Plan
3rd Grade
It can when she’s Ordinary Mary—an ordinary girl from an ordinary school, on her way to her ordinary house—who stumbles upon ordinary blueberries. When she decides to pick them for her neighbor, Mrs. Bishop, she starts a chain reaction that multiplies around the world.
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be nice. Lesson Plan
There was only one way for Chester to do things - his own way. Wilson did things the same way; they were best friends. From double-knotting their shoes to cutting their sandwiches diagonally, Chester and Wilson were two of a kind.
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be nice. Lesson Plan
2nd Grade
A book about sharing for one and all! Gruntly is a hog—a ball hog, a snack hog, a treasure hog! He doesn’t share his toys with his pals and, in fact, helps himself to theirs!
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be nice. Lesson Plan
4th Grade
Chloe and her friends won't play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually, Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe's teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world...
be nice. Lesson Plan
5th & 6th Grade
In this powerful novel researched in NYC schools, Newbery Medalist Virginia Hamilton documents the struggle young people face as they simultaneously assert their independence and yearn for guidance.
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be nice. Lesson Plan
Other suggested be nice. Books
It's easy to implement the be nice. Action Plan into any book!
Where could a character have noticed something good or different about another character?
Is there a time when a character could have invited themselves to reach out?
Did they challenge themselves or someone else?
Was there one character in particular who empowered the others?
One
The story is about a quiet color named Blue who is bullied by a hotheaded color named Red. The other colors feel sorry for Blue but don't stand up to Red, until One comes along and shows them how to count and stand together. Through the story, readers learn about: The power of one, The strength of collective action, Accepting each other's differences, and Making a difference with their voices.
Zero
Zero is a big round number. When she looks at herself, she just sees a hole right in her center. Every day she watches the other numbers line up to count: "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 . . . !" "Those numbers have value. That's why they count," she thinks. But how could a number worth nothing become something?
The Good Egg
The Good Egg likes to help others and follow the rules. The other eggs in his carton…not so much. As they stay up late, eat sugary cereal, and throw tantrums, the Good Egg tries to keep the peace and get everyone to behave. Finally, the stress is too much, and he begins to crack.
Giraffes Can't Dance
A touching tale of Gerald the giraffe, who wants nothing more than to dance. With crooked knees and thin legs, it's harder for a giraffe than you would think. Gerald is finally able to dance to his own tune when he gets some encouraging words from an unlikely friend.
Swimmy
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1963. This classic story shows how being different can be a strength and how friends can band together to protect one another. Teamwork—how working together you can overcome any danger.
The Juice Box Bully
Have you ever seen a bully in action and done nothing about it? The kids at Pete's new school get involved, instead of being bystanders. When Pete begins to behave badly, his classmates teach him about "The Promise". Will Pete decide to shed his bullying habits and make "The Promise"?
You Are Special
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The story of Punchinello, the wooden Wemmick who believes that he isn't good enough because of what others say about him. When will Punchinello realize how truly special he is?
The Very Angry Day That Amy Didn't Have
Margaret and Amy are two girls in the same class who are coincidentally both having a very difficult day. While Amy finds ways to solve the various problems she encounters, Margaret always makes things worse by her reactions. This simple but poignant book is an excellent tool to help young children learn alternatives to getting angry.
Have You Filled a Bucket Today?
Through simple prose and vivid illustrations, this heartwarming book encourages positive behavior as children see how rewarding it is to express daily kindness, appreciation, and love. Bucket filling and dipping are effective metaphors for understanding the effects of our actions and words on the well being of others and ourselves.
My Mouth is a Volcano
All of Louis thoughts are very important to him. In fact, his thoughts are so important to him that when he has something to say, his words begin to wiggle, and then they do the jiggle, then his tongue pushes all of his important words up against his teeth and he erupts, or interrupts others. His mouth is a volcano!
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon
"Leave it to Molly to transform all her 'faults' into marvelous talents. . . Catrow's pictures fill the pages with wild perspectives, goofy-looking kids, and hilarious details. . . . Leaves readers with the feeling that anything can be accomplished if you are the best person you can be and make the most of your gifts."
I Like Myself
High on energy and imagination, this ode to self-esteem encourages kids to appreciate everything about themselves--inside and out. Messy hair? Beaver breath? So what! Here's a little girl who knows what really matters.
Stand in My Shoes
When Emily asks her big sister what the word empathy means, Emily has no idea that knowing the answer will change how she looks at people. But does it really matter to others if Emily notices how they're feeling?
Be Kind
A picture book about the power of kindness. When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate contemplates how to make her feel better and what it means to be kind. From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving and thoughtful story explores what a child can do to be kind, and how each act, big or small, can make a difference--or at least help a friend.
Only One You
There's only one you in this great big world. Make it a better place. Adri's mama and papa share some of the wisdom they have gained through the years with their eager son. Their words, simple and powerful, are meant to comfort and guide him as he goes about exploring the world.
Something Else
New York: Mondo Publishing, 1998. Something Else wants to be like everybody else but finds he isn’t. This is a lovely story about accepting people’s differences. Great book to reassure that being different is a good thing.
