Books that help kids learn life lessons

[cadburyegg]

We have some books aimed at educating children about things like race and racism, anxiety, making a baby, body boundaries and consent etc. dc8 really likes them and it often sparks conversations and questions. I also find it much easier to broach a topic when there is a book about it!

So looking for more suggestions, such as books aimed at educating kids about staying safe, being streetwise, diversity, looking after the planet etc.

Would be great to hear if anyone has any recommendations

I've been waiting to see what other people suggested. I think we learn a lot from novels and suchlike. Harry Potter teaches a lot as does the Bible (I read it for the stories, I'm not a Christian).

I'd agree with @Coyoacan that lessons are better learnt when they're part of a story rather than being the point of the story.
Over the years we've had great discussions from things like The Little House books, Swallows and Amazons, Biggles, various Enid Blytons that sort of thing. Talking about why something was acceptable in the past, but now isn't, is a great way of opening discussion.

I also tell my dc that there will be things that are acceptable, and even applauded for their "wokeness", now will be considered offensive by their grandchildren. It's a good lesson for them-that language and opinions evolve.

We had lots of interesting discussions while reading Mallory Towers. We talked about the way the various characters were behaving towards each other, ds could see similar behaviours in some of his classmates. He was maybe 8 or 9 at the time. Doesn't help with being streetwise, some of it is quite outdated, but a lot of the behaviour is still very relevant.

An odd choice I know, but it was the first thing that came to mind. I was surprised by how much my son liked them considering they are old and set in a girls school but the characters still seemed quite relatable to him.

9japrincess, I very much doubt it.

Wonder

How about A Chair for my Mother?

Hi. For storybooks I read my children short storybooks. Fairytales before sleep.
I use www.onehundredtales.com it's a collection of short tales before sleep with good values.. take a look

The Magic Shoes: A Story About Learning Empathy and Perspective. - Kindle edition by Sandilands, Francis , Chen, Dan. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

The Magic Shoes: A Story About Learning Empathy and Perspective. - Kindle edition by Sandilands, Francis , Chen, Dan. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

The Magic Shoes: A Story About Learning Empathy and Perspective. - Kindle edition by Sandilands, Francis , Chen, Dan. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Sink or Swim by Ghillian Potts

I collect disability themed children's books and share them with kids in my family. Some good ones:
https://www.adaywithnowords.com/ - coming out soon, I got to read an early copy and it was brilliant, beautiful poetry, really looking forward to my own physical copy. It's by a Black autistic mother about her non-speaking son. Also on amazon etc
https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Way-Top-Disabilities-Everything/dp/1492688975 about a disability rights activist and how she participated in the Capitol Crawl at the age of 8. Biography in a storybook style
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Proud-be-Deaf-Ava-Beese/dp/1526302187 - more information style, pictures of a little Deaf girl and she explains her life, written with her parents
https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Happened-You-James-Catchpole/dp/0571358314/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= about a little boy with one leg and how fed up he gets with all the questions. Written by an amputee, he and his wheelchair-using wife have a new one coming out soon called "You're So Amazing" which is about the frustrations of always being called "amazing" or "inspiring" just for existing as a disabled person

Badgers parting gift for dealing with death also Grandmas Bill