Behaviour

Books that encourage children to behave well. Some books in this collection provide children with strategies to improve undesirable behaviour. Others acknowledge that sometimes this is a challenge!

Aggression & Tantrums

A collection of picture books about tantrums, anger and frustration, which can sometimes lead to aggressive behaviour.

Friendship & Getting Along

Books that encourage children to play together in harmony, to share and to co-operate. Some books talk about sibling rivalry: squabbles and fights between brothers and sisters.

Listening & Co-operating

A useful collection of picture books that gently encourages a child to listen well and co-operate with others.

Manners & Politeness

Picture books which promote good manners and politeness, highlighting the importance of saying please and thank you, being considerate to others and having good table manners.

Telling the Truth

Books which either encourage children to tell the truth, or explain the negative effect that lying can have on others.

Books to encourage children to help out around the house. Children who are reluctant to help out, or keep their toys and bedrooms tidy, sometimes need a gentle reminder that helping can be a lot of fun!

Medieval Mashup: Leigh’s Wheelie Adventures

In this charming picture book, a group of children (including Leigh, a wheelchair user) work together to support each other to make costumes for a school event. Leigh is struggling with feelings of self-consciousness and frustration, but he successfully overcomes this.

The Invisible Boy

This beautiful book promotes inclusivity and empathy, encouraging children to 'leave no-one behind' in friendship groups and to consider other people's feelings.

Squishy Sand

This engaging picture book features Leigh, a disabled child who uses a wheelchair. It highlights some of the everyday obstacles that wheelchair users have to cope with. A great choice for any child, reinforcing the importance of empathy, resilience, teamwork, kindness and creative thinking.

Ask First, Monkey!

An important introduction to consent and boundaries for young children.

The Only Way is Badger

A book about acceptance, difference and learning to say sorry.

All the Ways to be Smart

So often children are led to believe that being smart is all about academic achievement. This delightful, positive and diverse picture book re-frames the concept of being smart to include many other wonderful qualities.

Sweep

This captivating picture book is a thought-provoking exploration of a young boy's bad mood and how it takes hold of him.

The Squirrels Who Squabbled

A laugh-out-loud tale about friendship and learning to share, two squirrels squabble over one nut but ultimately put their differences aside and co-operate.

The Suitcase

This simple and powerful story about the arrival of a stranger could be a catalyst for exploring so many concepts and themes with young children: trust, curiosity, tolerance, hope, kindness, making amends, friendship, ‘doing the right thing’ and telling the truth to name just a few.

Kind

A beautiful picture book which explores and encourages kindness in many forms. It promotes sharing, acceptance, tolerance and empathy.

Jungle Jamboree

A lovely reminder for children that true beauty comes from the inside: kind thoughts and deeds are far more important than physical appearance.

How to be a Lion

A brilliant and entertaining story with a strong and clear message: Don't be afraid to be yourself; embrace the differences in yourself and others.

What’s worrying you?

A great picture book to help children explore their worries. While it is normal to feel anxious now and then, when anxiety escalates and can't be controlled, sitting down with your child and reading this book together should help.

The Dot

A wonderful picture book that encourages children to try new or challenging things, to explore their creativity and to have confidence in their abilities.

Grumpy Frog

A thoroughly entertaining and engaging book which explores some important themes: forgiveness, tolerance, co-operation, and how moods and behaviour affects others.

Space Alien at Planet Dad

Perfect for a child who is struggling to cope with adjusting to a new blended family environment. An entertaining and comforting book which has accurately captured the emotions of a child adapting to his father's new partner.

Yummy Ice-Cream

The book has the simple but effective message that sharing with friends is a good thing

Good Little Wolf

Although predominantly an entertaining story, this quirky picture book also explores the idea of being true to oneself and defying stereotypes. It reinforces the message that you don't need to 'go with the crowd' if the crowd's actions are not wise.

Mine!

A light-hearted way to introduce the concepts of sharing and co-operation to young children.

This Book Belongs to Aye-Aye

This entertaining book explores the idea of 'being different'. The central character has less conventional looks than his classmates, but the story reveals that his kindness and intelligence are more important than the way he looks. The book also has an anti-bullying message.

Christopher Nibble

This book is a great way to introduce the 'green' issue of food sustainability in a very child-friendly way. It also promotes sharing and co-operation.

Funny Face

A good starting point to chat to a very young child about emotions, for example, how they feel during a tantrum.

I’m the Happiest

A lovely story which teaches children that the path to true happiness is to be content with what you already have. While all the other animals compete and compare, Racoon is happy to be himself.

Clean It! (Helping Hands)

A great choice to introduce a very young child to the concept of helping out at home.

Brush your teeth, Max and Millie

An ideal book to encourage a toddler to have a go at brushing their teeth independently.

Take turns, Max and Millie

An ideal book to encourage a toddler to share.

I Am Not a Copycat! (Hugo & Bella)

This book comically reflects a behavioural quirk that many children display at some point: imitating those around them to the point of extreme annoyance! The story gently promotes tolerance in others.

The Worry Monster

This book may help children come to terms with childhood worries and encourage them to admit mistakes and tell the truth.

What Makes Me Happy?

May help a child to identify emotions they are experiencing and encourage them to discuss any they feel uncomfortable with. Reassures children that it is normal to experience a wide range of emotions.

This is Our House

Promoting tolerance, co-operation and acceptance. Celebrating diversity.

Sharing a Shell

Encouraging sharing and co-operation.

The Happy Book

A great starting point for talking about both positive and negative feelings with very young children. This book may gently encourage co-operation and good behaviour.

Looking after Louis

Explaining to young children how autism can affect behaviour and promoting tolerance and understanding of others.

Milo’s Monster

This is another book in the Big Bright Feelings series by this author which deals with friendship, jealousy and what happens when a new friend comes along. It looks at what happens when the friendship dynamic changes and how to deal with this in a child friendly way.

Brody The Lion: The Shopping Flip

Teaching positive behaviour strategies to children experiencing big emotions, this fun picture book is particularly helpful for children with autism or sensory processing disorders.

Off to School in my Wheelie Chair

A light-hearted and engaging picture book that focusses on a young boy’s journey to school in his manual wheelchair. The story gives a very positive view of wheelchair use, emphasising that it can be fast and fun, while at the same time making the reader more aware of the challenges and obstacles that wheelchair users face each day. Promotes resilience, kindness and acceptance.

Red Red Red

A relatable story which captures both in text and illustration the buildup of frustrations toddlers can feel until all they see is red and the dissipation of these feelings by counting to ten.

I Don’t Want to Wash My Hands!

A good choice of picture book to share with a child who is reluctant to wash their hands.

While We Can’t Hug

To comfort and support young children who are missing being able to hug their friends and extended family because of social distancing

Harrison Spader, Personal Space Invader

This book discusses the importance of considering other's personal space, and offers practical tips for "personal space invaders".

We Are Together

A visually pleasing book about togetherness.

Perfectly Polite Penguins

A book that encourages good manners and co-operation, and reminds us that nobody is perfect.

Insults Aren’t Funny: What to Do About Verbal Bullying

When Charlie is verbally bullied by his team mate, his thinks about quitting football all together. Luckily, with some help from a friend, Charlie learns what to do to get help when he is being bullied.

Too Many Carrots

A sweet book that encourages children to share, and gently reminds the reader of what is really important in life.

Feel Better Daddy

An appealing board book that uses simple language, it explores empathy, encouraging young children to understand and respond to another person's feelings.

Horrible Bear!

A sweet picture book with an important message: looking for the good in people and situations and learning to apologise will lead to more happiness than being angry, judgemental and stubborn.

That Fruit Is Mine!

An entertaining picture book that encourages children to co-operate and share.

The Colour Monster

A good book to help young children identify, recognise and explore their emotions.

That’s NOT how you do it!

This book demonstrates how we can all be good at things - but we don't always do them the same way. There are many different ways of doing things which are equally valid.

AdoraBULL

Separation can be hard for children, and in this original story, young Tom is devoted to his wonderful pet bull, Alfred. When he starts school, Tom starts searching for a strategy to help Alfred whilst he is absent, and in the end, finds a way to keep everyone happy!