75 Books That Build Character

The number one thing you can do as a  parent to help teach your child to read is to read to them. 


The number one thing as a parent you can do for the world is to raise your child to be  a responsible caring adult . 

Parenting is a challenge on good days but mixing lessons not just about concepts but about character with reading time is a shortcut that works. 


Books are a wonderful tool to reinforce tough to grasp lessons and to open the door for discussions that we aren’t always sure how to approach with our kids.  


All these books teach lessons, have messages or open the floor for discussions without being preachy.
CLICK on each book to read about the book. 

1. Shelia Rae, The Brave by Kevin Henkes
2. The Family Book by Todd Parr
3. Let’s Them Play by Margo Theis Raven
4. Something From Nothing by Phoebe Gilman
5. Ballerino Nate by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
6. Apple Pie Fourth Of July by Janet S. Wong
7. A Chair For My Mother by Vera B Williams
8. The Gardener by Sarah Stewart
9. Pinkalicious by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann
10. The Loudest Roar by Thomas Taylor
11. Hilda Must Be Dancing by Karma Wilson
12. I Remember Miss Perry by Pat Brisson
13. Looking For Sleepy by Meribeth Boelts
14. Pablo’s Tree by Pat Mora
15. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
16. The Little Red Hen Makes A Pizza by by Philomen Sturges
17. The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
18. Murmel, Murmel, Murmel by Robert Munsch
19. Bob and Otto by Robert O. Bruel
20. Ordinary Amos And The Amazing Fish by Eugenie and Henry Fernandes
21. Alexander And The Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
22. Stephanie’s Ponytail by Robert Munsch
23. Piglet and Papa by Margaret Wild
24. First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
25. Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
26. Valentine’s Day by Anne Rockwell
27. A Picture Book Of Helen Keller by David A. Adler
28. Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni
29. The Bus For Us by Suzanne Bloom
30. Every Cowgirl Needs A Horse by Rebecca Janni
31. Bear Stays Up At Christmas  by Karma Wilson
32. Duck On A Bike by David Shannon
33. Cowboy Camp by Tammi Sauer
34. The List by Hazel Hutchins
35. Scaredy Squirrel Makes A Friend by Melanie Watt
36. Julius The Baby Of The World by Kevin Henkes
37. Rosa By Nikki Giovanni
38. The Pirate Of Kindergarten by George Ella Lyon
39. Is There Really A Human Race? by Jamie Lee Curtis
40. A Father Like That by Charlotte Zolotow
41. Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
42. Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore
43. The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers
44. Sink or Swim by Valerie Coulman
45. The Princess and The Pizza by Mary Jane and Herb Auch
46. I Want To Be A Cowgirl by Jeanne Willis
47. No! David by David Shannon
48. My Brother Martin by Christine King Farris
49. It’s Mine  by Leo Lionni
50. Ben’s Trumpet by Rachel Isadora
51. One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root
52. How To Catch A Star by Oliver Jeffers
53. My Best Friend Moved Away by Nancy Carlson
54. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
55. The Boy Who Grew Flowers by Jennifer Wojtowicz
56. Edwardo the Horriblest Boy in the Whole Wide World by John Burningham
57. Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
58. Music Over Manhattan by Mark Karlins
59. I Love You Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt
60. Zip, Zip… Homework by Nancy Poydar
61. Tacky The Penguin by Helen Lester
62. Did I Tell You I Love You Today? by Deloris Jordan
63. Hair For Mama by Kelly A. Tinkham
64. I Don’t Want To Go To Bed by Julia Sykes
65. Owen by Kevin Henkes
66. The Sissy Duckling by Harvey Fierstein
67. Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boyton
68. Princess Smartypants by Brenda Cole
69. Dad, Jackie and Me by Myron Ulberg
70. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
71. Click Clack Moo , Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
72. A Kiss Goodbye by Audrey Penn
73. A Very Big Bunny by Marisabina Russo
74. The Grumpy Morning by Pamela Duncan Edwards
75. One Green Apple by Eve Bunting