When We Are Kind by Monique Gray Smith (Toddler, Preschool)
This simple story helps us explore what it means to be kind to yourself, to your family, the environment, and the people around you. What does it feel like when we are kind? What do others feel when we are being kind? With its sparse text and colorful illustrations, it is perfect for introducing the concept of community to young children. Find it at the Library
Cold Snap by Eileen Spinelli (Preschool, School Age)
Alaskans understand cold winter days, especially when those cold days turn into cold weeks and beyond. In the small town of Toby Mills, they are in the midst of a cold snap, watching each day as the icicle on the statue in town square grows ever closer to the ground. With hope at its lowest, the mayor’s wife comes up with an idea to warm up both the townsfolk and their community spirit. Find it at the Library
Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller (Preschool, School Age)
What does kindness look like—is it making cookies for a lonely neighbor? Helping with the dishes? Telling people what we appreciate about them? Grape juice gone awry leads one little girl to explore the concepts of kindness, empathy, and what it means to be a good friend in this tender tale of inclusion. Find it at the Library
We’re Better Together: A Book About Community by Eileen Spinelli
Everything’s better when we work together, and this book proves it! Working as a team helps make playtime more fun, lightens the load for clean-up, and ensures people are taken care of in our community. A great story for illustrating how collaboration makes the world a better place. Find it at the Library
I’ll Take Care of You by Maria Loretta Giraldo (All Ages)
A tiny seed is nurtured by the natural world and as it blossoms into an apple tree, it learns how to share its own gifts with others. Great for cultivating empathy and kindness, this story celebrates the interconnectedness of the universe and helps show young people that they have plenty to offer the world no matter their size. Find it at the Library
The More You Give by Marcy Campbell (Preschool)
If you’re a fan of the classic The Giving Tree (or maybe you sort of like it, but the ending gives you some pause), we’d like to introduce a version updated for the modern day. Through lyrical prose and beautiful illustrations, you will see how a family passes down love from one generation to the next, growing their community and the environment that supports it. Find it at the Library
These resources were recommended by Samantha Blanquart, Early Literacy Outreach Librarian with the Anchorage Public Library. Visit APL’s website for more info about early literacy or to check out one of their reading kits for young children.