Gratitude is an important character trait that has a positive impact on our mental and emotional states. When your mind focuses on what you are thankful for, instead of what you aren't, you’re more likely to feel happiness. This is why it is so important to teach to kids. Use children’s books about gratitude 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 is a great way for kids to learn! As you are reading, ask questions and engage the reader. Keep reading for 10 of the BEST children's books about gratitude.
Children's Books about Gratitude
*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.
1. THE THANK YOU LETTER
Title of Book and Author: The Thank You Letter by Jane Cabrera
A short summary of the book: Grace is a little girl who just celebrated her birthday. She had a great party and received lots of wonderful gifts. Grace decides to write thank you letters to her family and friends for the gifts they gave her. While she writes, she decides to also write thank you letters to others. She writes to thank her dog for his perfectly waggy tail. She expresses thankfulness to the sky for being blue. Grace thanks Mr. Jones for teaching her how to read and write. Grace delivers all of her letters and is met at home by an abundance of notes from her friends, family, and neighbors thanking Grace for her love and appreciation. Grace’s small act of kindness had huge impacts on all of those around her.
Why I like the book: This story inspires young children to write letters to thank people in their lives for both tangible and intangible gifts. Letter writing is not a common art form anymore, but the slow change of pace of opening and reading a written letter often means so much.
The moral of the story: Take time to recognize gifts around you and express gratitude towards others for them.
Topics covered: Gratitude; Thankfulness; Togetherness
2. GRATITUDE IS MY SUPERPOWER
Title of Book and Author: Gratitude is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego
A short summary of the book: Betty is a young girl who worries. She starts out worrying about her pet turtle. Her mom reassures her that her turtle has its own, different needs. Betty’s mom presents a simple strategy of picking up a pretty stone, admiring it, and then thinking of ways to change upset feelings into ones of happiness. The book continues on with different situations in Betty’s life where she feels various emotions. Each time, Betty is able to remember the stone in her pocket and think about something good that she is grateful for even when things don’t feel so great at the moment. Betty learns that she has superpowers when she is grateful!
Why I like the book: This story is about children learning how to handle disappointment with gratitude. Alicia Ortego writes in such a way that children learn to understand their emotions while also appreciating the people in their lives.
The moral of the story: Happiness can be found in all things— big or small!
Topics covered: Gratitude; Superpowers; Changing Perspective; Happiness; Emotions; Disappointment
3. A CHAIR FOR MY MOTHER
Title of Book and Author: A Chair for My Mother by Vera M. Williams
A short summary of the book: A small girl tells a story about how her family had a fire in their house and lost everything. She shares how their neighbors generously helped them start over, but she also shares concerns that they only have hard kitchen chairs to sit on now. Her mother is a waitress who works long, hard days; she has nowhere to rest after work. All of her mother’s waiting tips are being saved to help buy her a comfortable chair for their new home. Of all of the things the family lost, a chair for the mother is what they want the most.
Why I like the book: This book highlights the importance of family and caring for others. The little girl selflessly cares more about her mother’s comfort than her own desires.
The moral of the story: Compassion from others and courage after a loss can go a long way.
Topics covered: Compassion; Family; Resilience; Love; Loss; Generosity
4. WHEN GRANDMA GIVES YOU A LEMON TREE
Title of Book and Author: When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L.B. Deenihan
A short summary of the book: It is a young girl’s birthday. She has so many gadgets listed on her birthday wish list. Her grandma decides to give her a lemon tree instead though. Throughout this story, the girl learns to be grateful for the unique gift from her grandma. She names her tree Lola and learns how to properly care for it over a year’s time. The girl realizes that she can open a lemonade stand selling lemonade made from her lemons and then buy the gadgets she originally wanted. By the end of the story, the young girl begins to question if all of the gadgets were really what she wanted after all.
Why I like the book: This cute story and illustrations help children learn how to NOT respond to gifts they did not want or ask for. Children also learn about delayed gratification as the girl must take care of the tree for an entire year before seeing any fruit emerge. These concepts are both difficult for children to understand, but the charming illustrations and fun examples keep children interested.
The moral of the story: Sometimes new ideas can come from situations that we aren’t so pleased with to start.
Topics covered: Gratitude; Family; Growing Up; Happiness; Generosity
5. COAT OF MANY COLORS
Title of Book and Author: Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton
A short summary of the book: Dolly Parton writes this book based on her own childhood experiences. She grew up very poor in the hills of Tennessee. In the story, winter is approaching and the young girl is without a coat. Her mother makes her a patchwork coat out of rags. The girl’s peers make fun of her in the tattered coat, but she treasures it because she understands the love that her mother put into making it for her.
Why I like the book: The Coat of Many Colors helps teach children to be thankful for what they have and encourages them not to belittle others for having “less”. The book explains that people can be rich in ways that do not require great deals of money, like the little girl being rich in love from her mother.
The moral of the story: Everyone is rich in their own way. We can be grateful for what and who we have even if it looks different than that of those around us.
Topics covered: Honesty; Truthfulness; Forgiveness; Generosity; Family; Bullying; Pride
6. FIRENZE'S LIGHT
Title of Book and Author: Firenze’s Light by Jessica Collaco
A short summary of the book: Firenze is a feisty little firefly. Her friends love her light, but she doesn't really think it’s so great. Firenze only sees the negatives of her bright light, like she can never play hide-and-seek. She meets a new friend whose artwork becomes so much better with the help of Firenze’s light. Firenze must decide to be grateful for and proud of her light so that she can help others.
Why I like the book: Jessica Collaco writes a beautiful and fun story about self-appreciation and how believing in yourself can actually positively impact relationships with others. The illustrations in this book help keep children interested as they listen along.
The moral of the story: Love yourself for who you are, even when it feels hard.
Topics covered: Self-Appreciation; Gratitude; Friendships; Bravery; Compassion
*You can read this book for FREE on Kindle Unlimited!
7. THE RED BICYCLE
Title of Book and Author: The Red Bicycle by Jude Isabella and Simone Shin
A short summary of the book: Leo is a boy living in North America who saves his money diligently in order to buy an 18-speed bicycle. He names his shiny new bicycle Big Red. After he outgrows his beloved bicycle, he decides to donate it. Big Red is later given to Alisetta, a child living in West Africa. Alisetta uses Big Red to travel to the sorghum fields where she works and to take goods to the market. Big Red is passed along one more time and is refurbished as an ambulance for a local medical clinic.
Why I like the book: This story helps children understand the long-lasting effects a choice to be generous can have. It is interesting for children to see the “life” of the bicycle as they follow it through three different owners. Jude Isabella also highlights the economic benefits that a single bicycle can bring to a community.
The moral of the story: We can all take action to generously serve others near and far away from us.
Topics covered: Generosity; Social Awareness; Responsibility; Cause & Effect; Pay It Forward
8. EXTRA YARN
Title of Book and Author: Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett
A short summary of the book: Annabelle is the main character in Extra Yarn. She finds a box filled with yarn of all colors and decides to knit sweaters for everyone in her town. She has leftover yarn and keeps knitting; she knits sweaters for cars and trees and buildings. Annabelle never runs out of yarn. An archduke hears about Annabelle’s box of endless yarn and offers to buy it from her for ten million dollars. She does not want to sell it to him, but in the night, the greedy archduke steals the box. When he opens the box, he finds no yarn. Eventually, the box finds its way back to Annabelle, where it is full of yarn once again!
Why I like the book: This book is a fun spin on the traditional good versus evil storyline with good winning out in the end. There are touches of magic throughout as the box has endless yarn, then none, and then is filled again. The illustrations transform from dark to vibrant as Annabelle knits more and more.
The moral of the story: We can find happiness from giving generously to others!
Topics covered: Generosity; Determination; Happiness; Magic
9. LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET
Title of Book and Author: Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
A short summary of the book: On their way to the soup kitchen, a Sunday tradition, young CJ learns about the meaning of life from his grandma, a woman wise beyond her years. During their journey, CJ begins wondering why he is different from others. Why doesn’t he own an iPod? Why does he have to take the bus? As they travel, CJ’s grandma teaches CJ to appreciate the beauty around him, shifting his mindset. When they arrive at the soup kitchen, CJ has a change of heart and begins seeing the world differently.
Why I like the book: I love how CJ’s grandma educates CJ about the world around him in a gentle manner. When CJ doesn’t understand why he’s different from others, his grandma teaches him what is important in life. Her wisdom, especially about socio-economic differences, is so poignant and would be a wonderful message to share with your students.
The moral of the story: When we view life through an optimistic lens, our worldview changes. We can find beauty in the everyday.
Topics covered: Truthfulness; Compassion; Understanding; Gratitude
10. THOSE SHOES
Title of Book and Author: Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
A short summary of the book: A young boy, Jeremy, sees his classmates wearing a popular type of shoe. When Jeremy asks his grandma if he can get the new shoes, she replies that there’s no money for new shoes, only things that they need. The guidance counselor helps Jeremy find a new pair of shoes with velcro and cartoons - which is very different from the popular shoes. When he returns to school, Jeremy’s classmates make fun of him for the guidance counselor’s kind gesture. Jeremy’s grandma tries to get Jeremy the new shoes, but the price is too expensive. When Jeremy finds the shoes at the thrift store, they are perfect except for one thing - they don’t fit! Jeremy ultimately learns a lesson in generosity when he observes a boy named Anthony needing a new pair of shoes. His prized, too-small shoes become something much greater in the end.
Why I like the book: This feel-good story about the power of generosity will be sure to make you and your students smile. Like Last Stop on Market Street, the grandma is a central reason why Jeremy learns why empathy is so important. Jeremy learns that it’s much better to give than to receive.
The moral of the story: Giving is so much more fulfilling than buying.
Topics covered: Generosity; Compassion; Socio-economic Status
Resources about Gratitude
Using resources about gratitude is a great way to solidify learning for students after you read one (or all!) of these children's books about gratitude.
This Character Education Gratitude Curriculum includes everything you need to teach this important topic in your classroom.:
- 9 interactive, engaging activities
- parent letter
- writing prompts
- bookmarts
- pre and post survey
- certificate
- & more!
Looking for more ideas on how to incorporate gratitude in the classroom? Check out this blog post on Teaching Gratitude in the Classroom!
Find Books on Different Topics:
Follow along and don’t miss a thing! Let’s connect:
Instagram 💜 Pinterest 💜 Facebook 💜 Teachers Pay Teachers 💜 Amazon 💜 Counselor Collab
