Welcome to Ms Mary’s epic family ministries book list! Below you will find all her favorite children’s books on a variety of topics. There are 17 different categories and several books in each category described by title, author; short description. If the book is hyperlinked that means you can listen to Miss Mary (or someone else) read the book in a video. Click the link to watch!
Here is the list of categories with links that will take you to each section. The family ministries’ book list will continue to grow. Bookmark this page and keep coming back!
Christmas
ABCs of Christmas, Parker; overview for children able to listen and understand details
Christmas Love Letters from God, Nellist; a delightful lift-the-flap book
How Many Miles to Bethlehem? Holland; 18 voices retell the Christmas story
Nativity, Rylant; stunning illustrations, great for all ages
Silent Night, Hawthorne; beautifully illustrated
‘Twas the Evening of Christmas, Nellist; the real story of Christmas
Who Is Coming to Our House?, Slate; especially appropriate for the youngest among us
Community
Big Feelings, Penfold; naming and connecting
Daniel’s Good Day, Archer; asks what is a “good day?”
I Am One, Reynolds; starts with me
I Walk With Vanessa, Kerascoet; wordless
Keeping The City Going, Floca; NYC during COVID
Say Something, Reynolds; use your voice/make a difference
We’ve Got the Whole World in our Hands, Lopez; historical info and lyrics
Compassion
Boundless Grace, Hoffman; divided families have love
Amazing Grace, Hoffman; being who you want to be
Differences
A Family is a Family is a Family; O’Leary, lots of configurations
Giraffes Can’t Dance, Andreae; trusting ourselves
Happy In Our Skin, Manushkin; celebration of differences
Last Stop on Market Street, de la Pena; g’ma and child and world
Lovely, Hong; inclusive
The Story of Ferdinand, Leaf; classic tale of being yourself
The Table Where Rich People Sit, Baylor, B; exploring “rich” expansively
Those Shoes, Boelts; coveting
We’re All Wonders, Palacio; picture book version of Wonder
Diversity
All Are Welcome, Penfold; school setting
Come With Me, McGhee; facing the world
Just Ask, Sotomayor; intro to differences (juvenile diabetes, asthma, wheelchair, blind, deaf, dyslexia, autism, stutter, Tourette’s, ADHD, food allergies, Down syndrome)
Most People, Leannah; focus on kind, positive humans
Our Skin, Madison; norming differences
The Day You Begin, Woodson; nervous new kid
We Shall Overcome, Levy; song/history
Empathy
A Sick Day For Amos McGee, Stead; animals help Amos
I Am Human, Verde; meditation at end
Little Blue Truck, Schertle; board book, all are helpers
The Invisible Boy, Ludwig, T; new kid, different culture
Environment
10 Things I Can Do To Help My World, Walsh
ABC Earth-Friendly Me; Engel
Crab Cake, Tsurumi; ocean pollution
Don't Throw That Away, Bergen
Outside In, Underwood; loving outside nature
Plant the Tiny Seed, Matheson; planting zinnias, etc.
The Big Wish, Conahan; little girl unites community
The Curious Garden, Brown; urban garden
The Earth Book, Parr; 10 practical ideas to help Earth
The Water Protectors, Lindstrom; urgent. Indigenous
This Pretty Planet, Chapin/Forster; vulnerable earth
Esteem
I Am Enough, Byers; message of strength
I Believe I Can, Byers; imaginative play and goals
All The Ways To Be Smart, Bell; imagination, dancing, sharing….
When Sophie Thinks She Can’t, Bang; “yet” problem solving
Tacky the Penguin, Lester; proud to be unique
Zero, Otoshi; everyone has worth
The Feelings Book, Parr; fun pictures, lots of feeling
It’s OK To Be Different, Parr; silly, fun
Be Who You Are, Parr; humorous, encouraging
The OK Book, Rosenthal; don’t need to be the best
Exclamation Mark, Rosenthal; clever, be yourself
Chopsticks, Rosenthal; friends helping when hurt
Faith
Children of God Storybook Bible, Desmond Tutu; Stories end w/ short prayer
Grit and Grace, Rivadeneira; short stories of women in Bible
Holy Troublemakers and Unconventional Saints, Daneen Akers; Stories of 36 people of faith, working for more love and justice
Let The Whole Earth Sing Praise, dePaola; simple, joyful praise of earth
Room For a Little One, Waddell; animals’ perspective-Jesus’ birth
Spark Story Bible, Augsburg; Bible for Households-children
This Is the Mystery of Easter, Dress; Jesus’ life, death, resurrection
What Is God Like?, Evans; inclusive, scriptural
Gratitude
The Wednesday Surprise, Bunting; teaching g’ma to read
The Thankful Book, Parr; illustrations of gratitude
The Thank You Letter, Cabrera; expressing gratitude
Thanku: Poems of Gratitude, Myles and Paul; collection
Hope
Little Mole Finds Hope, Nellist; seasonal affective disorder
Old Rock, Pilutti; calm and content
There Is a Rainbow, Trinder; hope during COVID
Where Happiness Begins, Eland; is within
Kindness
A Little Spot of Kindness, Alber; click here for video
Be Kind, Miller
Each Kindness, Woodson; understanding and accepting
Kindness Snippet Jar, Alber; fun family activity
Peace is an Offering, LeBox; experiencing peace
The Kindness Book, Parr; quirky, whimsical
The Monster Who Lost His Mean, Haber; being true to self
Ways to Welcome, Ashman; inclusive
Zen Ties, Muth; acceptance
Love
Guess How Much I Love You, McBratney; parental forever love
I Love You More; Duksta; flip book mom/son
Love, de la Pena; inclusive
Love The World, Parr; diverse
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse, Mackesy; gentle read aloud
The Runaway Bunny, Brown; unconditional love
Mindfulness/Feelings
Ahn’s Anger, Silver; norming frustration and calm
Big Boys Cry, Howley; normative
Breathe Like a Bear, Willey; collection
Don’t Worry, Little Crab, Haughton; learning to be brave
Find Your Calm, Garcia, G.; safe place, breathing
Fred’s Big Feelings, Renauld; story of Mister Rogers
Here and Now, Denos; perspective
Hurry Up!, Dopirak; slowing down
I’m Happy-Sad Today, Britain; understanding mixed feelings
I Am One. A Book of Action, Verde; making a difference
I Am Peace, Verde; meditation
I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations For Kids, Garcia, G; family-friendly affirmations
Just Breathe, Chopra; terrific resource for families
Listening To My Body, Garcia, G.; breathing, meditation
Mindful Affirmations For Kids, Garcia, G; family-friendly affirmations
Niko Draws a Feeling, Raczka; using Art to express emotions
Puppy in My Head, Gravel; intro to meditation for young
Ruby Finds a Worry, Percival; taking ownership of worry
Some Days, Orloff; norming and naming emotions
Steps and Stones, Silver; aloneness in school setting
The Quiet Book, Underwood; exploration of quiet in a day
The Worry Box, Chiew; working through anxiety
Things That Go Away, Alemagna; changing world/love remains
Today I Feel, Moniz; alphabet of feelings
When Sophie Gets Really Angry, Bang; strategies to calm
Zen Happiness, Muth; tiny book of short quotes
Patience
I’ll Wait, Mr. Panda, Antony; good things come to those who...
Llama Llama Red Pajama, Dewdney; worry about waiting
Waiting Is Hard To Do, Willems; surprise at end
Problem-Solving
A Big Guy Took My Ball, Willems; jumping to conclusions
Enemy Pie, Munson; fun twist
One, Otoshi; strength in thinking for self
Say Something, Moss; interrupting bullying, older kids
Swimmy, Lionni; working together
The Problem With Problems, Rooney; math
Race And Culture
A Gift of Gracias, Alvarez; Dominican Republic
All The Colors We Are, Kissinger; English/Spanish
Alma and How She Got Her Name, Martinez-Neal; story of her ancestors
Angel Child, Dragon Child, Surat; Viet Nam
Call Me Echo Hawk, Echohawk and Madsen; indigenous
Free as a Bird, Maslo; story of Malala
God Bless The Child, Holiday and Herzog; Black History
Lailah’s Lunchbox, Faruqui; Ramadan, in school
My Name is Elizabeth, Dunklee; pride in birth name
My Name Is Sangoel, Williams and Mohammed; Sudanese refugee
The Change Your Name Store, Shirtliffe; self-discovery
The Name Jar, Choi; Korea
The Paper Crane, Bang; generosity in adversity
The Proudest Blue, Muhammad; hijab 1st day of school
The Undefeated, Alexander, K; story of strength
Resilience and Strength
Hats, Pratt (Dennisha); discovering strengths in challenges
Jabari Jumps, Cornwall; dad and son
Jabari Tries, Cornwall; little sister
Oopsie-do, Kubart; song
The Day You Begin, Woodson; fitting in by being you
When Sophie Thinks She Can’t, Bang; persistence at math, helps dad
Sharing
Can I Play Too?, Cotterill; Little Senses series strategies
How To Two, Soman; counting book
If You Plant a Seed, Nelson; animals share, not compete
Pie Is For Sharing, Ledyard; setting: 4th of July
Thank You Omu, Mora; stew given away, reciprocal
The Rainbow Fish, Pfister; discovering joy of giving