Here to Help: Books about Manners and Behavior

By sharing stories together and having conversations about the books you read, you can help young children understand the world around them. Seeing diverse experiences represented in books helps children to explore their own identities and develop empathy for others.

These books for young children highlight the importance of being considerate to others, sharing and using good manners.

Not every book is available at all locations, but any title can be requested. The children’s librarian at your neighborhood library is also here to help, with suggestions for additional titles on topics of interest–or feel free to suggest some titles to us. New books are always being added to the collection. You can find more Here to Help booklists on different topics by clicking here.

Bad Seed

The bad seed changes his mind about being bad and decides that he wants to be happy.


Be Kind

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 thoughtful story explores what a child can do to be kind, and how each act, big or small, can make a difference.


Blocks

Ruby has red blocks. Benji has blue blocks. But what happens when they won’t share?


Dinosaurs Don't, Dinosaurs Do

An easy-to-read text and engaging, funny dinosaurs introduce young children to good manners, the benefits of being considerate to others, and the secret to making friends.





How to Apologize

Wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone knew how to apologize? Luckily, this humorous guidebook is full of practical tips about when, why, and how to say you’re sorry. From a porcupine who accidentally popped his friend’s balloon to a snail who was running so fast he stepped on a sloth’s toes.


The Kindness Book

Looks at different ways to show kindness, including choosing kind words, giving compliments, and offering help without being asked.


Llama Llama Time to Share

Llama Llama doesn’t want to share his toys with his new neighbors. But when fighting leads to broken toys and tears, Llama learns that it’s better to share.


Rude Cakes

A story about a rude cake who never says please or thank you or listens to its parents, and a Giant Cyclops who is polite.


Time to Say "Please"!

Narrated by a group of friendly mice, an amusing book provides preschoolers with an introduction to manners through helpful demonstrations of when certain words and phrases, such as “excuse me” and “please,” are used in social situations.