From a young age, stories are how we learn about the world. When done right, the conflicts and resolutions that they present stick with the reader and open them up to different experiences, places, and personalities.
Children’s books are a great at creating simple yet effective life lesson scenarios for young readers. Below are dozens of picture books by indie authors that do just that.
Links to read the full reviews and author interviews will open in a new tab.
Life lessons about doing the right thing
Mima’s Choices by Rob Clare
A choose your own adventure novel, Mima’s Choices follows Mina through a not so great day before, during, and after school and has the reader decide what happens to her after each conflict presents itself to her. The moral is to make good choices to avoid the consequences of your actions. In this way, the reader has control over the story and gets to change how it goes from read to read.
You can read my full review here!
I Don’t Want to Eat That Thing! By R.K. Vetter
A little boy spends the week with his grandma who gives him different dinners to try every night. The boy is picky and doesn’t want to try the new food, but grandma comes ready with special ingredients that encourages him to try it. This book is a cute and relatable story featuring fun illustrations and a cute collection of dinners that sound like a picky eater’s worst nightmare.
You can read my full review here!
The End by John Bray
This book starts with the phrase “the end,” and it then works backwards to explain beginnings and ends from a child’s perspective. It’s the perfect read for kids just starting school and helps them to see that life is constantly changing and how when something ends, something else begins.
You can read my full review here!
Gwen’s Gratitude by Marie Zhang
Young Gwen spends a day grumbling about the things she has that aren’t good enough, from the lunch her mom has packed for her to the coat that hasn’t been washed. Then she notices another kid who doesn’t have anything at all, and it makes her feel more gracious about what she does have. It’s a simple morality tale that teaches kids to be grateful for the things they have, even if those things aren’t exactly the way they want them.
You can read my full review here!
That’s Coola, Tallulah! By Cheryl Chase
On a rainy day, Stella Bella’s doll, Tallulah, talks her into doing some naughty activities to pass the time. When they get caught, the two are separated, and Stella Bella is taught a lesson about how to best use her playtime. Written by the voice of Anjelica Pickles from Rugrats, this story is reminiscent of that show and the trouble we can get into as kids.
You can read my full review here!
Nonfiction life lessons
Alexander Hamilton’s Wish for Battlefield Glory by C. Behrens
This non-fiction storybook teaches young readers about the historical U.S. figure, Alexander Hamilton. From his childhood in St. Croix to his Revolutionary War heroics, the book provides a thorough, yet kid-friendly overview of Hamilton’s life. It’s full of fun facts, colorful photos, and, hopefully, a budding curiosity in other historical events and figures.
You can read my full review here!
Scoochie and Skiddles: Scoochie’s Adoption Story by Tom Tracy
The author tells the story of his oldest child’s adoption in a kid-friendly picture book that breaks down the adoption process for young readers. It’s a thorough, yet easy to understand explanation of the process that teaches children about one of the many forms a family can take.
You can read my full review here!
Sky, the Deaf Homerun Hero by Mickey Carolan
Sky is a great baseball player, but in his hometown, the bullies in the neighborhood love to pick on him for his disability. He shows them, though, when he steps up to the plate and becomes a homerun hero. This book is the companion to Carolan’s other book on this list, this one based on his father.
You can read my full review here!
Bonnie and the Deaf Bake Squad by Mickey Carolan
Bonnie is a deaf girl who loves to bake and enters a summer baking competition. She’s feeling confident about her abilities until the day of the competition when she wonders if she is worthy of participating. Written by a CODA kid in ode to his mother, this book explores the world of the deaf, imposter syndrome, and the courage to do the things you love to do despite your apprehension.
You can read my full review here!
Two Wins for Wiley by Karen Patricia Nespoli and Caitlin Bree Kennedy
A young baseball player is encouraged to try acupuncture to cure his stomach aches. The treatment works, and Wiley is cured of his fear of needles. Written by a mother/daughter team, one who is an acupuncturist, the book introduces kids to this pain-free treatment and teaches them not to be afraid of the doctor.
You can read my full review here!
Life lessons about nature
You Can’t Kiss a Bubble by Karen A. Wyle
This third-person point of view storybook takes readers through the different things you can and can’t do with bubbles. Bubbles are one of those small pleasures of childhood, and this book puts them front and center and teaches kids about their fragility, brevity, but ultimately, the magic that they bring to the world.
You can read my full review here!
A Mermaid’s Tale of Pearls by Jennifer Elizabeth
A little girl encounters a mermaid in the ocean, and the mermaid tells her a love story about the sea and the moon. This is a gentle fantasy book for girls filled with colorful illustrations and an interesting perspective of the natural world.
You can read my full review here!
When It’s Winter by Karen A. Wyle
When it’s Winter is an ode to winter and the fun you can have outside when it’s cold. The little girl at the center is adorably shown using all of her senses to make the most of the winter weather. It’s a romanticized look at winter and a great way to give kids ideas on what to do out in the snow.
You can read my full review here!
Isabel and the Invisible World by Rick Allen
Isabel is a young scientist who loves to explore the most miniscule living things. One night, she finds glowing water and borrows some of her father’s equipment to figure out what makes it glow. This book is for girls, and boys, who love science and want to learn more about the scientific process and how fun it can be to learn new things.
You can read my full review here!
Where Fireflies Sleep by Karen Wyle
on a summer night in June, a father and daughter sit on the porch waiting for fireflies to come out. As they do, the daughter asks where the fireflies sleep and when. Her dad humors her until he scoops her up and carries her to bed. It’s a gentle bedtime story set in an idyllic bedtime setting which exudes the safe and imaginative world of childhood.
You can read my full review here!
I Can Do Stories by Sally Tears
A collection of three beach-themed stories, this book tells the story of three sea characters who venture out onto their own to learn important life lessons, skills, and meet new people. The conflicts mirror those of regular kids and helps them to learn perseverance, bravery, and trying new things.
You can read my full review here!
The Jolly Bupbup by Ann P. Borrmann
When a heavy rain sweeps her boat into a nearby river, a little girl and her cats go on an adventure to retrieve it and bring it home. This is a cute adventure story about a kid and her animals going on an unlikely yet amazing trip in her own backyard.
You can read my full review here!
The Way You View the World by Tasneem Dairywala
A poem about a child’s perspective of the world, this is a colorful bedtime story explores different viewpoints from different parts of the earth. It’s a romanticized look at our world and one that shows kids that there’s more to the earth than just the small piece they see each day.
You can read my full review here!
Life lessons about grief
But I Don’t Want to Say Goodbye by Ta’Shay Mason
After the death of her father, a little girl watches her mother make funeral arrangements. The arrangements make her sad, but as they are carried out, they begin to comfort her and help her learn how to say goodbye. Another sad book about a lesson children should never have to learn, this story helps explain one of the many different ways we can honor our lived ones and how those rituals bring comfort in our grief.
You can read my full review here!
It’s Ok to be Happy by Ta’Shay Mason
After the death of her father, Jazmine has a hard time enjoying life. She feels bad when she sees other children with their fathers, worries about her mother coming home at night, and doesn’t enjoy the activities she used to. Then her mother comes up with a plan to move forward and grieve while learning to live with that grief. It’s a comforting book for any kid who has lost a close relative and tackles a tough subject with grace and sensitivity.
You can read my full review here!
Princess Lillian and Grandpa’s Goodbye by Jenny Fulton
As a little girl says goodbye to her dying grandpa in his hospital, he explains to her his beliefs about the afterlife in order to comfort her in her grief. It’s a great book for religious families to use to explain death and dying to young children, highlighting the sadness that death brings but also the inevitability of it and the hope that one day they will be reunited with their loved ones.
You can read my full review here!
Life lessons about mental health
Who’s Jerry? by T.M. Jackson
Imani returns home from school one day to find her mother acting strange. A teacher notices how this is affecting Imani, and he calls her father, who has been away on a trip, to pick her up. Imani’s father then takes her mother to a doctor where she is diagnosed with schizophrenia. After a long hospital stay, Imani’s mother returns home acting very much like herself agains. A relatable book for children dealing with parents with mental illness, this story will make them feel not so alone and show them that there is hope for things to get better.
You can read my full review here!
Becoming Beautiful by Tarang Rawat
The guests at Alena’s eighth birthday party are overheard explaining the different traits they each don’t like about themselves. In response, Alena’s mother plays a fortune-teller game which shows how those attributes will be their biggest asset in their futures. It’s a great book for girls about being yourself and not dissecting your looks or feeling bad about the traits that make you unique.
You can read my full review here!
Girls Can by Deb Preston
A love letter to being a girl, this rhyming book explores girls’ many different personalities and encourages them to pursue their many passions depending on what interests them most. The book is meant to hype up girls for being themselves and show them that there’s no wrong way to look, there’s no wrong hobbies to take up, and there are no wrong careers to pursue.
You can read my full review here!
Life Lessons from monsters
No Veggies in Mummy’s Tummy By Kristin Blakely
A young mummy is pulled away from his trick-or-treat bag to eat dinner with his family, but he’s not thrilled with the plate of vegetables that is set before him. Eventually, his mom convinces him to try some, and he’s surprised to find that he likes it.
Blakely’s philosophy is that holiday books can be read at any time of the year. Her story puts a unique spin on traditional family dynamics and a common childhood conflict that encourages young readers to take a chance on healthy food.
You can read my full review here!
Halloween Monsters by Eric Guth
This monster-themed encyclopedia breaks down all of the classic types of monsters and presents kid-friendly facts about them including their physical attributes, powers, and weaknesses. It’s the perfect book for a budding horror fan who wants to learn all of the tropes about these spooky characters.
You can read my full review here!
The Willie and Company Series by Chris Mason
This collection of three books centers around young versions of famous horror characters, including Dracula, The Wolfman, and The Mummy in different situations which teach academic lessons in a fun way. The first book, Ten Little Monsters Standing in a Line, is a rhyming counting book where the monsters are stuck in an unemployment line. The second, Ten Terrific Monsters: A Hidden Item Book, is a hide-and-seek book that asks readers to look for a list of missing items on each page. The third, How to Draw the Ten Little Monsters, is a step-by-step tutorial that guides the reader as to how to draw the monsters featured in the series. It’s a really cute interactive series that encourages reading with young horror fans.
You can read my full review here!
What books on this list would you like a young reader in your life to read? Leave your answers in the comments below!
Pin it to Pinterest!
