National Reading Month Book Recommendations To Read With Your Child

In honor of National Reading Month, Kamali’i put together a list of National Reading book recommendations to read with your child. Upon the first impression, children’s books may come across as simple stories, but they can be the most impactful resources that introduce your child to the world today and positively affect them for the rest of their lives. 

Here are our book recommendations to read with your children: 

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o, illustrated by Vashti Harrison (Ages 3-8) 

 “Real beauty comes from your mind and heart. It begins with how you see yourself, not how others see you.” 

Has your child ever questioned the way they looked or thought they were different from others? Sulwe tells the story of Sulwe, a little girl “born with skin the color of midnight” and whose name means “star”. Lupita Nyong’o touches on how we are already born beautiful simply because we are ourselves. Whether it’s skin color, eye shape, or any other physical feature, this book teaches your child to embrace these unique parts of themselves, not as ostracizing but instead be seen as beautiful and meaningful. 

How Big Are Your Worries Little Bear? by Jayneen Sanders, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer (Ages 3-9) 

“Mama Bear listened carefully. She held Little Bear’s paw and listened to every single worry.” 

Worries come in all shapes and sizes, and all are valid–but there is only so much that truly needs to be worried about. How Big Are Your Worries, Little Bear? follows Little Bear, a young bear who can’t help but worry about almost everything! Yet, despite the fact, this book reminds us that worries can always be overcome when we bravely confront them. What’s more, as a parent, the most important gift you can give your child is the act of listening to their worries and the support to help them overcome or face what scares them. 

More Than Fluff by Madeline Valentine (Ages 3-7)

“Have you tried telling them how you feel, nicely?”

Daisy is the fluffiest and cutest chick! Everyone wants to touch her, hold her and squeeze her–but no one thinks about how that makes her feel. This book is a fantastic introduction to teaching your children about respecting boundaries and understanding consent in both a physical and verbal way. Whatever the boundaries of another person may be, your children must learn to see that when a person establishes boundaries, it isn’t about them at all—it’s always about the people who want them in the first place. What’s more, we should never assume what people’s comfort levels are; rather, we need to ask about and respect them. 

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Caroline Binch (Ages 4-8) 

“A girl can be Peter Pan if she wants to.” 

Nowadays, children don’t need to fall into categories to define themselves. Amazing Grace is about a young African American girl who wants to play Peter Pan in her school play and takes the chance to audition for the part despite not meeting the gender, racial, or social norms of who Peter Pan is expected to be. This book is encouraging and positive for parents who want to emphasize to their children and empower them to live any life they want and be whoever they want to be. Despite the expectations imposed on them by society or media, these things do not dictate their choices and identity. The sky’s the limit, and even then, your child can surpass that if they really wanted to do so. 

A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song (Ages 5-8) 

“Together they built a tower. It had rectangles, cylinders, and squares. But no triangles. Or broccoli.” 

Your child will meet many people in their life who are different from them—like Henry! Henry is a child who falls on the autistic spectrum where he does not react to the world or social cues around him the same way as people without autism do. This is not a bad thing; it’s just a way of life for Henry. This book teaches your child that they can be friends with anyone, regardless of their respective differences, such as children with mental disabilities or those who are a part of families from local foster care agencies. What matters most in friendship is truly understanding, accepting, and respecting the other person and not seeing them as any less for their differences. The more accepting your child is of other children’s differences, the better the world would be–that’s because it’s easy to isolate those who are unlike us in ways that are unfamiliar to our norm. 

Although National Reading Month will come and go, reading with your child will always be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. You both get to discover new stories together and learn lessons and gain perspective on topics you may have already known. Last but not least, you can add these books to your growing list of family prospective resources!