I have taught Character Education through the use of literature for the past two years. Although I teach first and second grades, you can certainly use these picture books with any age groups. I know that there are tons of other books that have character themes, but this is a start. Usually, after reading a selection, we write or do other projects so that the children can practice real moral action. Hope you find this useful!
Literature Lists for Character Education
Compiled by Amy Braman
abraman.vestal@vcs.stier.org
Respect-
Stellaluna, Cannon
Smoky Night, Bunting
Inch by Inch, Lionni
Chrysanthemum, Henkes
Frederick, Lionni
Arthur's Nose, Brown
Big Al, Yoshi
Loop the Loop, Dugan
Miss Rumphius, Cooney
Honesty-
Too Many Tamales, Soto
A Day's Work, Bunting
The Empty Pot, Demi
A Birthday for Frances, Hoban
The Berenstain Bears and the Truth, Berenstain
Tyrone, the Double Dirty, Rotten Cheater, Wilhelm
A Big, Fat, Enormous Lie, Sharmat
Freya's Fantastic Surprise, Hathorn
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire, Cohen
Pinocchio, Collodi
Compassion-
Now One Foot, Now the Other, de Paola
Nana Upstairs, Nana Downstairs, de Paola
Be Good to Eddie Lee, Fleming
Through Grandpa's Eyes, Machlachlan
Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge, Fox
Knots on a Counting Rope, Martin and Archambault
The Mountain That Loved a Bird, McLerran
Generosity-
The Giving Tree, Silverstein
The Doorbell Rang, Hutchins
The Wednesday Surprise, Williams
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear, Wood
Alejandro's Gift, Albert
A Letter to Santa Claus, Impey
Angel Child, Dragon Child, Surat
Acceptance-
The Berenstain Bears' New Neighbors, Berenstain
The Big Orange Splot, Pinkwater
The Story of Ruby Bridges, Coles
Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr., Marzollo
Arnie and the New Kid, Carlson
How My Parents Learned To Eat, Friedman
The Araboolies of Liberty Street, Swope
What is the Sign for Friend?, Greenberg
We Are All Alike, We Are All Different, Cheltenham Elementary School
Arthur's Tooth, Brown
Friendship-
George and Martha, Marshall
The Berenstain Bears Get In A Fight, Berenstain
Best Friends, Kellogg
Arthur's Birthday, Brown
Chicken Sunday, Polacco
Arthur's Baby, Brown
Frog and Toad Are Friends, Lobel
Koko's Kitten, Patterson
Little Blue and Little Yellow, Lionni
Peach and Blue, Kilborne
Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse, Lionni
Ira Sleeps Over, Waber
Mrs. Katz and Tush, Polacco
The First Strawberries, Bruchac
Cooperation-
A Chair for My Mother, Williams
Frederick, Lionni
The Seven Chinese Brothers, Mahy
Anansi the Spider: A Tale from Ashanti, McDermott
The Little Red Hen, Galdone
Big Pumpkin, Silverman
Swimmy, Lionni
The Enormous Turnip, Parkinson
Miss Nelson Is Missing, Allard
Perseverance-
Amazing Grace, Hoffman
The Carrot Seed, Krauss
The Little Engine That Could, Piper
Mirette on the High Wire, McCully
The Boy Who Held Back the Sea, Hort
Katy and the Big Snow, Burton
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Burton
Brave Irene, Steig
Responsibility-
Arthur's Pet Business, Brown
Just Me and My Puppy, Mayer
Little Toot, Gramatky
The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room, Berenstain
Pigsty, Teague
Clean Your Room, Harvey Moon, Cummings
Just A Mess, Mayer
The Wump World, Peet
Zinnia and Dot, Campbell
Self-Discipline-
Arthur's Teacher Trouble, Brown
Babushka's Doll, Polacco
King Midas and the Golden Touch, Hewitt
Ronald Morgan Goes To Bat, Giff
Spinky Sulks, Steig
Don't Pop Your Cork on Mondays, Moser
The Berenstain Bears and the Bad Habit, Berenstain
Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie, Roop
I Was So Mad, Mayer
Others-
Aesop's Fables, Aesop
Children's Book of Virtues, Bennett
