50 Inspiring Children's Books with a Positive Message

"The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." -- Dr. Seuss

With technology developing at a record pace and kids mastering iPads before they're even out of diapers, it's more important than ever to instill the love of reading in our children.

Although it's never too late, the importance of getting kids to develop a love for reading early on often correlates with a love for learning, a passion for lifelong reading, and so many other positive traits that ultimately lead to the empowerment needed for success.

In our home we have acquired quite the collection of literary gems -- in fact, we have more books than toys. I've happened upon wonderful books in all kinds of random places, so I'm always on the lookout. Of course, the library is always a great option, which we frequent at least every other week -- a ritual which we started before the girls could even walk. Another one of my favorite places to find amazing books is museum bookshops. You would be surprised at the treasures you may come across there.

Since reading is a passion for us, we wanted to share some our favorite children's books that contain a poignant, powerful message. If you know of a children's book that has an inspirational message that is not on our list, please share in the comments below.

This post originally appeared on Positively Positive.

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• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0439023289/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0439023289" target="_hplink">"A Bad Case of the Stripes,"</a> by David Shannon

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0935699074/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0935699074" target="_hplink">"All I See Is Part of Me,"</a> by Chara M. Curtis

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062114689/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0062114689" target="_hplink">"An Awesome Book!"</a> by Dallas Clayton

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/193559737X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=193559737X" target="_hplink">"An Awesome Book of Thanks!"</a> by Dallas Clayton

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076115728X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=076115728X" target="_hplink">"Beautiful Oops!"</a> by Barney Saltzberg

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1844836231/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1844836231" target="_hplink">"Buddha at Bedtime: Tales of Love and Wisdom for You to Read with Your Child to Enchant, Enlighten and Inspire,"</a> by Dharmachari Nagaraja

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006058081X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=006058081X" target="_hplink">"Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons,"</a> by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Jane Dyer

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0394827198/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0394827198" target="_hplink">"Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?"</a> by Dr. Seuss

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081182778X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=081182778X" target="_hplink">"Enemy Pie,"</a> by Derek Munson

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061896438/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0061896438" target="_hplink">"Fancy Nancy Poet Extraordinaire,"</a> by Jane O'Connor, Robin Preiss Glasser

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933916168/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1933916168" target="_hplink">"Have You Filled A Bucket Today?"</a> by Carol McCloud

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0871592827/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0871592827" target="_hplink">"I Believe in Me: A Book of Affirmations,"</a> by Connie Bowen

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401922082/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1401922082" target="_hplink">"I Think, I Am!"</a> by Louise L. Hay

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1550747797/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1550747797" target="_hplink">"If the World Were a Village,"</a> by David J. Smith

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081091106X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=081091106X" target="_hplink">"Iggy Peck Architect,"</a> by Andrea Beaty

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401907822/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1401907822" target="_hplink">"Incredible You! 10 Ways To Let Your Greatness Shine Through,"</a> by Wayne Dyer

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076362344X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=076362344X" target="_hplink">"Ish,"</a> by Peter H. Reynolds

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0896103544/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0896103544" target="_hplink">"Limu: The Blue Turtle,"</a> by Kimo Armitage

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0931548640/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0931548640" target="_hplink">"Limu the Blue Turtle and His Hawaiian Garden,"</a> by Kimu Armitage

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081184658X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=081184658X" target="_hplink">"Little Pea,"</a> by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416991417/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1416991417" target="_hplink">"LMNO Peas,"</a> by Keith Baker

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0192763393/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0192763393" target="_hplink">"My First Oxford Book of Poems,"</a> by John Foster

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679875972/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0679875972" target="_hplink">"My Many Colored Days,"</a> by Dr. Seuss

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0843198354/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0843198354" target="_hplink">"Mr. Men 40th Anniversary Box Set,"</a> by Roger Hargreaves

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061123226/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0061123226" target="_hplink">"Not a Box,"</a> by Antoinette Portis

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401925758/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1401925758" target="_hplink">"On My Way To A Happy Life,"</a> by Deepak Chopra

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679805273/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0679805273" target="_hplink">"Oh The Places You'll Go!"</a> by Dr. Seuss

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0972394648/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0972394648" target="_hplink">"One,"</a> by Kathryn Otoshi

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1452102244/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1452102244" target="_hplink">"One Love,"</a> by Cedella Marley

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0873589017/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0873589017" target="_hplink">"Only One You,"</a> by Linda Kranz

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0807563811/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0807563811" target="_hplink">"Peaceful Piggy Meditation,"</a> by Kerry Lee Maclean

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811879542/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0811879542" target="_hplink">"Press Here,"</a> by Herve Tullet

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615473938/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0615473938" target="_hplink">"Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun: Having the Courage to Be Who You Are,"</a> by Maria Dismondy

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399234160/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0399234160" target="_hplink">"Stand Tall Molly Lou Mellon,"</a> by Patty Lovell

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001O9CBKS/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B001O9CBKS" target="_hplink">"Thank You, World,"</a> by Alice McGinty

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763619612/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0763619612" target="_hplink">"The Dot,"</a> by Peter Reynolds

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316054410/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0316054410" target="_hplink">"The Gift of Nothing,"</a> by Patrick McDonnell

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060586753/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0060586753" target="_hplink">"The Giving Tree,"</a> by Shel Silverstein

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933718102/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1933718102" target="_hplink">"The Kissing Hand,"</a> by Audrey Penn

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399244670/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0399244670" target="_hplink">"The Little Engine That Could,"</a> by Watty Piper

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0394823370/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0394823370" target="_hplink">"The Lorax,"</a> by Dr. Seuss

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763636770/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0763636770" target="_hplink">"The North Star,"</a> by Peter H. Reynolds

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0439199964/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0439199964" target="_hplink">"The Three Questions (Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy),"</a> by Jon J. Muth

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316040509/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0316040509" target="_hplink">"The Very Fairy Princess,"</a> by Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374382549/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0374382549" target="_hplink">"The Weaver,"</a> by Thacher Hurd & Elisa Kleven

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375851682/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0375851682" target="_hplink">"The Yellow Tutu,"</a> by Kirsten Bramsen

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/184780151X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=184780151X" target="_hplink">"We are all Born Free,"</a> by Amnesty International

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1589796667/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1589796667" target="_hplink">"You Be You,"</a> by Linda Kranz

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978681312/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0978681312" target="_hplink">"You Can Be Anything!"</a> by Gary Craig

• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545040876/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=082506-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0545040876" target="_hplink">"Zen Shorts,"</a> by Jon J. Muth

 

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Comments

[Emma Elise]

03:48 AM on 06/22/2012

MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOKS were "Chrysanthemum" by Kevin Henkes and "Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch!
Some others from my childhood include - "Corduroy" and "Pockets For Corduroy" by Don Freeman, "Are You My Mother?" by P.D. Eastman, "Puppies Are Like That" by Jan Pfloog, "The Berenstain Bears" series by Jan and Stan Berenstain, "The Little Engine That Could" by Watty Piper, "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown, "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams, and "Mama, Do You Love Me?" by Barbara M. Joosse.

[Cady Stanton]

08:43 PM on 06/12/2012

My girl loved the "Bad Case of Stripes." Beautifully illustrated tale with dark humor and an anti-peer pressure message. This book is also available in Spanish.

[emily dickinson]

10:27 AM on 06/10/2012

WONDERFUL ALEX from Catwings series by Ursula le Guin. ARE YOU MY MOTHER?--#1 best kid book ever. BETSY-TACY series by Lovelace.

[Charissa Sharkey]

03:58 PM on 06/08/2012

String's Tangled Day [Amazon] is a little hidden jewel. It's a children's book about friendship and self-esteem and encouragement. String, the main character, and her friends (Twine, Yarn, Rope, Thread and Wire) realize each other's strengths and the value of friendship.

[EricMHandler]

02:27 AM on 06/07/2012

Awesome blog! So proud of you!

[FearlessFreep]

12:50 AM on 06/07/2012

"The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." -- Dr. Seuss

Actually, I find that the more I read the less I feel I know.