Self-control is such an important topic that I repeatedly cover with my students. It is often a subject that has to be retaught over and over. I use children’s books about self-control as a gateway for opening up discussions in the learning environment. Whether you are a teacher, counselor, or parent using books to help illustrate a topic you want to teach is a great way for kids to learn. As you are reading the book, ask engaging questions like: Why did you think the character did that? How do you think they felt when that happened?  Questions like this help develop comprehension and empathy.

I use this Executive Functioning Passport activity that covers self-control and this weather themed sorting activity called Forecast your choices to encourage making good choices. Also, check out this blog post about Teaching Self-Control in the Classroom for additional strategies and ideas for lessons. Here is a list of some of the awesome children’s books about self-control out there that I use to help teach this topic to students.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I get a small commission that costs you nothing and helps me continue to provide this content.

My Mouth is a Volcano

Title of Book and Author: My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook.

A short summary of the book:  Louis struggles with erupting a lot, when other people talk words just pop out of his mouth. He has trouble interrupting, waiting for his turn to speak in class, and speaking at inappropriate times. His words slide down from his head, onto his tongue. His tummy rumbles, and grumbles, and his words start to wiggle and do a jiggle and then his volcano (mouth) erupts. Then in class during an important presentation for Louis, a classmate named Richard interrupts and tells a random story that takes all of the attention off of what Louis was saying. Louis learns how it feels to be interrupted. His mom teaches him how to control his eruptions by biting down hard and hold in the words, take a deep breath, push the words out through his nose. Then when it is your turn to talk, take a deep breath and push them back into your mouth. Louis uses this technique and finds that it works to help keep his words inside until it's his turn to speak.

Why I like the book: This book is a must-have if you are trying to teach littles about interrupting, which as a teacher can be a VITAL topic. The way Louis explains how his words come out is pure genius, such an illustrative way to explain it to children. I also love how his mom teaches him to control his words, it’s something a child could use for many behaviors, not just interrupting.  

The moral of the story: You can control your impulses with different strategies.

Topics covered: Self-control, impulse control, Hyperactivity.

Where can I purchase this book (affiliate link): My Mouth is a Volcano on Amazon

I have ants in my pants

Title of Book and Author: I have Ants in my Pants by Julia Cook

A short summary of the book:  Louis from My mouth is a Volcano (another fave book) is back, this time to help teach us to control our wiggles. The book starts out with Louis struggling to control his wiggles on the carpet during story time, waiting in line in the cafeteria, and while watching a movie in a theater. His mom decides to teach him the wiggle dance and other strategies to control his wiggles. It also discusses personal space, using a focus squishy, and not talking while others are speaking.

Why I like the book: This book is just what I need to talk to those little wigglers that just don’t sit still, perfect for self-control classroom lessons. I can already see doing the wiggle dance with a bunch of students, they are going to love it! Staying in our personal space is now more important than ever with the need for safe social distancing, this book is a must-have for teachers and counselors alike.

The moral of the story: You can control your impulses with different strategies.

Topics covered: Self-control, impulse control, Hyperactivity.

Where can I purchase this book (affiliate link): I have Ants in my Pants on Amazon

My Magical choices

Title of Book and Author: My Magical Choices by Becky Cummings.

A short summary of the book:  The choices you make have superpowers, they can cause good things to happen or bad things. Like the book says, you are the captain of your own ship, you steer the wheel on this magic trip (love that!). The book goes through different choices you can make like being helpful, responsible, patient, confident, generous, calm, brave, forgiving, a good sport, gentle, friendly, honest, and fun. Each choice gives examples of how to make that choice. I choose to be patient, gives the example of taking your time, waiting for your turn, and staying calm.

Why I like the book: My favorite thing about this book is that it touches on so many different topics like being responsible, patient, forgiving because all of those are choices we make. You could use this book with SO many lessons because of the array of topics.  The best part? These books are available for free on Kindle Unlimited.  

The moral of the story: You have the power to make good choices.

Topics covered: Self-control, impulse control, making good choices.

Where can I purchase this book (affiliate link): My Magical Choices on Amazon

Even Super-heroes have bad days

Title of Book and Author: Even Superheroes Have Bad Days by Shelly Becker.

A short summary of the book:  Exploring what would happen if Superheroes made bad choices when they were having a bad day, using laser eyes to ignite forest fires or fling boomerangs to deflate the town's tires. But superheroes have choices, they could super-rampage but they don’t, because real superheroes just wouldn’t, they won’t. Instead, they use their superpowers in their heart, they battle the urge to do harm. It’s ok if they get sad but then they get up and continue to save the world.

Why I like the book: This book is perfect for kids because who doesn’t love superheroes? And I love the idea that superheroes could do harm, but they choose not to. Instead, they choose to do good. It acknowledges the fact that even superheroes have to calm themselves when upset. It makes the idea of making good choices cool!

The moral of the story: You can choose to make good choices.

Topics covered: Self-control, impulse control, make good choices, helping others.

Where can I purchase this book (affiliate link): Even Superheroes have Bad Days on Amazon

What Should danny do?

Title of Book and Author: What should Danny do? By Ganit & Adir Levy

A short summary of the book:  Meet Danny, a superhero in training working on his power to choose. With this power, he can change his day by changing his choices. He goes through different situations in his day like not getting something he wants, his brother laughing at him when he gets hurt, and other potential conflicts. Danny has 2 choices he can make, one that will make the situation worse and one that will make it better. The reader chooses which choice Danny should make and it tells you based on that choice, what page to turn to next. The bad choices lead to consequences and discussions with his parents about making good choices. The good choices lead to parental positive praise and Danny feeling proud.

Why I like the book: I really love this book because of how interactive it is with the reader, it will keep a kid very engaged. It also makes for a fun class lesson, you can have students as a group pick which choice. Each time you read it, it could be a different story depending on the choices made. It’s beyond clever!

The moral of the story: You have the power to make good choices.

Topics covered: Self-control, impulse control, make good choices.

Where can I purchase this book (affiliate link): What should Danny do? on Amazon                 

What should Danny do? (school edition) on Amazon

It's hard to be five

Title of Book and Author: It's hard to be Five by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell.

A short summary of the book:  Oh the woes of being a five-year-old, with all the rules and being told no, and starting school. All you want to do is play and the adults want you to sit still. The first half of the book goes through the struggles of being five, then it transitions to how it’s fun to be five. You can build things, and grow things and make good choices. Like knowing when to stop and go, when to walk and when to run, and being in control of your actions.

Why I like the book: I like that it empathizes with the kid experience and how they must feel and then transitions to how it can be positive. I also like the idea of learning to work your control panel, there is a control panel on the first and last page of the book. The first page shows an out-of-control panel and the last page shows an in-control. This makes for a great breakaway discussion about how to be better in control of our own control panels/behavior.

The moral of the story: Growing up means learning to control your behavior.

Topics covered: Self-control, impulse control, making good choices.

Where can I purchase this book (affiliate link): It's hard to be Five on Amazon

Breathe like a bear

Title of Book and Author: Breathe like a Bear by Kira Willey.

A short summary of the book:  Breathe like a bear is a collection of mindfulness exercises using kid-friendly animal and nature themes. It starts off explaining we all feel hyper and need help calming down sometimes. The exercises it teaches are meant to help you feel calm and peaceful, so you can make better choices and stay focused. The book is divided into five sections Be Calm, Focus, Imagine, Make Some Energy, and Relax. It goes through different breathing and visualization exercises all in a kid-friendly way.

Why I like the book: This book has 30 different mindfulness exercises in it for kids. It makes breathing fun and engaging for kids to be interested in using beautiful illustrations of bears, foxes, elephants, bunnies, clouds, snakes, flowers, and bears. You could pick out a few favorites and make it a great class lesson on mindfulness. (fyi-it is not a storybook).

The moral of the story: You can control your impulses with different strategies.

Topics covered: Self-control, impulse control, Mindfulness, Coping skills.

Where can I purchase this book (affiliate link): Breathe like a bear on Amazon

A little spot of patience

Title of Book and Author: Little Spot of Patience by Diane Alber

A short summary of  the book:  Meet the patience spot who teaches about learning how and when to wait. The little spots go through different situations that you would need to use patience for like growing a tree, coloring, solving a puzzle, baking food, long car rides, waiting for glue to dry, waiting in line for your turn, and waiting for your turn to speak in class. Then little spot teaches how to find your calm spot by being creative and using your imagination to keep busy or distract yourself from waiting. Patience spot also explains that there are things you can do to grow your patience.

Why I like the book:  I love all the little spot books because they explain things in such a kid-friendly way. The illustrations are adorable and the explanations are on point. The best part? These books are available for free on Kindle Unlimited.  

The moral of the story: You can learn and practice to be patient.

Topics covered: Self-control, Impulse control, Patience.

Where can I purchase this book (affiliate link): Little spot of patience on Amazon

Clark the shark

Title of Book and Author: Clark the Shark by Bruce Hale and Guy Francis.

A short summary of the book:  Clark is the biggest and strongest kid in his school. Clark loves school and is very enthusiastic and expressive with his joy, but it’s often at inappropriate times. He shouts during class reading time, plays too rough during recess, and helps himself to others food during lunchtime. His teacher talks to him about learning to stay cool and that there is a time and place for everything. Clark tries to do this but he struggles with remembering to stay cool. He comes up with a way to remember, with a rhyme! He comes up with different rhymes so he can remember to use self-control. Then a new kid comes to the class who is just like Clark, and Clark teaches him how to stay cool.

Why I like the book: This book is perfect for those bull in a china shop kids who mean well but always seem to be a bit too rough and not think through their actions and how it will look or impact others.

The moral of the story: There’s a time and place for everything.

Topics covered: Self-control, impulse control, behavior.

Where can I purchase this book (affiliate link): Clark the Shark on Amazon

What were you thinking?

Title of Book and Author: What were you thinking? Learning to control your impulses by Bryan Smith.

A short summary of the book:  Braden likes to get attention from others, often by making others laugh. After a few poor received jokes, impulsive behavior that hurts another person, and impulsively eating 12 cupcakes, his teacher, coach, and mom decide to talk to Braden about controlling his impulses. His teacher points out every time Braden does something impulsive he should ask himself if that made the situation better or worse? She also talks to him about times in the day when it would be a good time to be funny at school, like recess or lunch. His teacher gives him a tip card of rules to follow: stop what you are doing, think about what you are going to say or do, decide if it will make the situation better or worse, choose the behavior that makes the situation better. Braden finds himself in a situation in the cafeteria where he makes a good choice, even though it was hard, and decides he wants to stop getting in trouble and be an impulse expert.

Why I like the book: I love the tip card the teacher in the book gives Braden to remember to think through his choices before he makes them. I also think the examples given in the book are completely realistic, so many times kids make bad decisions because they did not think through what the consequence after would be.  

The moral of the story: There are consequences to our actions.

Topics covered: Self-control, Impulse control, Hyperactivity.

Where can I purchase this book (affiliate link): What were you thinking? on Amazon

Self-Control Resources

Pair your favorite children’s books about self-control with these engaging activities to make the perfect classroom lesson.

Find Books on different topics

Books that Teach Perseverance

Books that Teach Friendship

Books that Teach Cooperation

Books that Teach Empathy

Books that Teach Inclusion

Books that Teach Mindfulness

Books that Teach Growth Mindset

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

X