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Raising children that are comfortable in their own skin is so important, and so hard sometimes. Thankfully, there are some amazing books for children out there that can help to promote self-esteem. Here are just a few of the ones we’ve discovered.
Giraffes Can’t Dance, by Giles Andreae, tells the story of Gerald, a giraffe who is made fun of, taunted, and called names by the other jungle animals when he tries to dance. After an inspiring talk with a little cricket, Gerald realizes that he can dance in his own special way. A Color of His Own, by Leo Lionni, shows a little chameleon who goes along, happy to change his colors to whatever he happens to be around. After finally settling on a leaf and changing himself according to the seasons, he meets another chameleon and comes to realize that it doesn’t matter what he looks like as long as he has a friend. A Bad Case of Stripes, by David Shannon, documents the ever-changing appearance of Camilla Cream, a little girl who loves lima beans, but won’t eat them because she’s afraid of what others will think of her. When she comes down with a case of rainbow stripes all over, Camilla doesn’t know what to think. The longer her curious illness progresses and is treated unsuccessfully, the worse her predicament gets. Until a sweet little old lady, suggests some lima beans to cure Camilla…But will it work? I Like Myself!, by Karen Beaumont
, is a darling book that has quickly become a favorite in our house. The exuberant little girl is the book knows just what is special about herself and joyfully announces it.
Ish, by Peter H. Reynolds, tells the story of a little boy named Ramon who loves to draw… until he is criticized for his drawings not looking enough like their subjects. Dejected, Ramon stops drawing until his little sister shares with him a lesson that changes his outlook on comparing himself to standards.
It’s Okay To Be Different, by Todd Parr,
is a book full of lively and vivid colors. Through the book, readers are assured that it’s okay for them to look different, come from different types of families, or emotions experienced. Parr covers a wide variety of differences in a warm and comical way that is sure to make a point with your little reader.
Square Cat, by Elizabeth Schoomaker,
is a darling book about a little cat named Eula that is shaped like a square. Saddened by the fact that she isn’t round like her other kitty friends, Eula loses her purr. It’s then that her round little friends show her all the great things about being a square cat. The results are just what Eula needed to be happy with herself.
I’m Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem, by Jamie Lee Curtis, is full of funny, whimsical, and colorful illustrations and the steady rhythm and rhyme typical of her books.
Big Bouffant, by Kate Hosford, tells of the frustration that Annabelle sees when she goes to school and sees all of the girls wearing only ponytails and braids in their hair. Determined to be different, Annabelle wears a bouffant hairstyle to school. She gets admiration from some and scorn from others, but it doesn’t phase Annabelle. But when the bouffant craze catches on, Annabelle has to find another way to express herself.
Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun: Having the Courage to Be Who You Are, by Maria Dismondy, shares how Lucy, who is proud of her differences, is made fun of by a boy named Ralph. When she’s faced with whether or not to help her taunter, Lucy has to decide to hold a grudge or do what is right.What is one of your favorite books that encourages children to celebrate being who they are?
Andie, this is a great list! So glad I saw it before going to the library later this week! Hope you are doing well!
Great list – love these books!
I love "A Bad Case of Stripes"! We'll have to check out your other suggestions! Thank you!
This is perfect! What a great grouping of books! I wanted to invite you to join us in our Share It Saturday link up party. Each week, so many creative and fun ideas are shared and it is so wonderful finding new ideas and blogs! Yours would fit right in! http://www.sugaraunts.com/2013/02/share-it-saturday-6-and-our-week-in.html
We also have a Pinterest board dedicated to the link up party and are inviting all contributors to become a collaborator on the group board. It is a really great way to get many new viewers to see your posts. The link for the Pinterest board is on our post. I hope to see you there!
Colleen at Sugar Aunts
I am so glad that you linked up! We will be featuring your post tomorrow on our Share It Saturday post. I love all of these book ideas…Self-Esteem is such an important concept to teach our little ones!! We will be sharing our features with our FB fans so be sure to stop by and visit us there if you like https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sugar-Aunts/406711342711382?ref=hl
You are also welcome to join us as collaborators on our Share It Saturday Group Pinterest board. It is a great way to reach out to new viewers. The info will be on our post tomorrow. I hope to see you back at Share It Saturday next week!
Colleen at http://www.sugaraunts.com