Explore our curated selection of good reads for kids! All books featured are available free to loan at our National Library of Singapore.
0–2 years
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I Am a Force of Nature Empower kids to explore the world inside themselves and let their imaginations take flight! While the language is very simple, the ideas and qualities have a depth that can be explored more thoroughly over time, as the child becomes familiar with the text. Discovering these qualities can pique their curiosity about the world around them while giving them a sense of richness and empowerment about who they are in the world. |
Thanks a Lot As a little boy explores his neighbourhood, he takes time to appreciate it--the sun in the sky, the birds in spring, and the wonder within him. Raffi's popular and catchy song encourages mindfulness and gratitude in kids for their worlds, their families, and themselves. Adorable illustrations by Jaime Kim are just right for bringing this timely and timeless story to the littlest readers. |
Monster meditation : being patient with Cookie Monster
By Random House Sometimes everyone needs to slow down and take some cleansing belly breaths—even Cookie Monster! Cookie Monster learns a calming game as he waits for his cookies to finish baking. Cookie Monster learns simple meditation techniques and plays a fun game to help be more patient--based on the popular Sesame Street Monster Meditation video on YouTube made in collaboration with the mindfulness app Headspace. |
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How Do You Feel? There are a lot of emotions on the playground. A girl is happy when playing with a puppy. Another girl is angry when a boy knocks over her drink. And the boy who knocked over the drink is sorry. |
Peek-a-Mood Guess how I'm feeling? A peekaboo book and a primer on empathy, PEEK-A-MOOD invites children to open the flaps and explore our many emotions. Sometimes you may feel happy. Sometimes you may feel sad -- or angry, or scared, or silly. Whatever your mood, your face will show it. This clever board book uses shaped flaps to help children guess what each animal is feeling before revealing the answers. A final mirror spread allows them to show off how they feel, too. |
The Little Duckling Who Wouldn't Get Wet All ducks must swim, says the big duck. But the little duckling isn't ready to swim--not yet. One by one, other animals come to try to convince the little duckling to jump in. They push and shove, but the little duckling is firm: not yet! |
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Elmo Is Mindful (Sesame Street) How to Stay Focused, Calm, and Kind Elmo shares mindfulness tips to help his Sesame Street friends—and preschoolers everywhere—stay calm and focused. This board book offers thoughtful suggestions as to what to do when you’re scared, angry, frustrated, upset, or overwhelmed. |
Ollie Feels Fine Ollie the octopus has a lot of feelings and he struggles to understand them. One especially busy, emotional day, Ollie becomes overwhelmed by all of his feelings. But with the help of his good friend, Stella the starfish, Ollie is reassured and able to feel that he is ok, and that it is fine to have so many feelings. This endearing board book explores the range of emotions we all can feel. Stella and Ollie give kids words for their emotions, and power over their feelings. Helps parents support their child's emotional intelligence. |
Grumpy Monkey's Little Book of Grumpiness Jim learns that sometimes it's hard to get over a bad case of grumpiness, but having a good friend can help. With just a few words and truly expressive artwork Suzanne and Max Lang give toddlers the perfect funny book to help them deal with a grumpy mood. |
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I Am Horton Perfect for teaching the rewards of being kind! Written in simple rhymed verse and aimed at toddlers and preschoolers, it's a perfect introduction to one of Dr. Seuss's most beloved characters and happiest stories. Now everyone in the family--even pre-readers--can share in the joy when Horton's kindness and perseverance saves the Whos and inspires his jungle friends to change their ways! |
Families Belong Through a handful of specific yet universal scenarios, from singing songs together to sharing food together, from dancing together to lying still together, this board book invites the youngest readers to celebrate what it means for a family to be truly together. |
Mad, Mad, MAD Flipping from sad to mad can make for a bad day, but Baby is learning some tricks for getting the happy back. Sometimes Baby is sad. And sometimes mad, mad, MAD! Baby screams and falls to the floor, and a spectacular tantrum follows, from furious crying to the final flop. What happens when Baby wants to stop, but even hugging a beloved blankie doesn’t dissolve the cranky? Maybe a walkabout is in order, with some mindful breathing to boot? |
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That's My Carrot When two rabbits find a giant carrot growing between their yards, they do the only thing that makes sense: they argue over whose carrot it is! One rabbit brings a shovel to dig it out, and the other rabbit brings a spade. Next comes the bulldozers and backhoes and cranes . . . and when the dust settles, the carrot is gone! Now, it will be up to the rabbits to join forces and find the giant carrot, and build a friendship along the way. |
Llamaste and Friends Being Kind Through Yoga Practice yoga with your little ones with Llamaste and Friends, a yoga book about being kind. Meet Llamaste, a llama who loves yoga! Join her in this funny, sweet story as she helps Tiger calm down and Koala be brave by showing them simple, practical yoga poses. The easy-to-use text also encourages children to explore their emotions and develop empathy skills. All of Llamaste's poses are designed to help parents and children to begin their own yoga practice at home! |
Kindness Makes Us Strong By Sophie Beer Kindness is a friendly hello. A roaring cheer. A quick boost. Kindness is what makes us strong! Follow a group of children as they extend kindness in all sorts of situations: on the playground, at lunchtime, and on a neighbourhood street. This sweet board book shows how kindness helps build friendship and community. |
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Tomorrow I'll Be Brave Journey through a world filled with positive and beautifully hand-lettered words of widsom, inspiration, and motivation. As this book reminds readers, tomorrow is another day, full of endless opportunities--all you have to do is decide to make the day yours. |
ABCs of Kindness A is for all of us be everyone's friend. B is for believing things will turn out well in the end. C is for being caring in everything you do. D is for dear ones who mean the world to you. Learn your ABCs while learning to be kind to everyone you meet with this irresistibly illustrated board book that's perfect for Valentine's Day and all year round! |
Guess How Much I Love You How much does Little Nutbrown Hare love his daddy? And how much does Big Nutbrown Hare love him back? The cherished tale of boundless affection is ready for boundless sharing in a durable board-book edition for the younger set. |
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Calm with The Very Hungry Caterpillar This beautiful little gift book featuring The Very Hungry Caterpillar provides a simple, easy-to-follow journey to relaxation, perfect for children and adults. With simple coping mechanisms and beautiful illustrations, this book is an excellent reminder to kids and adults alike to take a moment, breathe deep, and smile! |
Anne's Feelings Inspired by Anne of Green Gables Iconic moments from the beloved L.M. Montgomery classic are celebrated in this adorable concept book. Artist Kelly Hill creates vignettes that showcase Anne's wide array of feelings, including happy, brave and, of course, the depths of despair. |
Just for Me When Ruby has something special, she likes to say "just for me!" That includes everything from her dolly to the colourful candy sprinkles she uses to decorate her cookies. But when a friend comes over for playtime, Ruby takes her mantra just one step too far, and a precious toy is broken. Just when it looks like playtime has been ruined, Ruby realises that having a friend is much more fun than having everything to herself. "Sharing is caring" has never felt so spot-on as it does in Just For Me. With sparse text and bright, bold illustrations, this is the perfect story for parents to share with their little readers--and for readers to share with their friends! |
3–8 years
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A Walk in the Words Vividly reveals the challenges--and ultimately the rewards--of being a non-mainstream kind of learner. When Hudson Talbott was a little boy, he loved drawing, and it came naturally to him. But reading? No way! He felt alone, lost, and afraid in a world of too many words. Fortunately, his love of stories wouldn't let him give up. Learning to accept the fact that everyone does things in their own unique way, and that was okay, freed him up and ultimately helped Hudson thrive and become the fabulous storyteller he is today.
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Love Was Inside This book, inspired by kids who found ways to stay connected to the people they love during the pandemic, is about what an imaginative, curious and loving little girl did when her world was turned inside out. Here is a picture book that will help young children remember, process, and resolve the feelings they had during the pandemic. Includes prompts to help readers make their own inside story book.
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Better Together! When a big thunderstorm shakes their woodland home, the Squirrelly family must flee their nest for a hollow in an oak tree. To their surprise, the McMunk family had the exact same idea. This family of squirrels and a family of chipmunks must find ways to live together--which isn't always easy since they come from different backgrounds. But after some important lessons in compromise, the Squirrellys and the McMunks realise that life is better together as the McSquirrelies. |
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Turtle in a Tree A spare and laugh-out-loud-funny picture book about seeing only half the full picture…and admitting when you’re not quite all the way right. After all, friendship is all about listening to someone else’s perspective. |
T. Rexes Can't Tie Their Shoes Follow a hilarious alphabet of animals, and see all the things they can't do but kids can—from doing gymnastics to flipping pancakes to playing a xylophone. Along the way, young readers will learn that it's okay if they can't do everything; they can still have a LOT of fun trying. |
Becoming Vanessa On Vanessa's first day of school, her parents tell her it will be easy to make friends. Vanessa isn't so sure. As the day goes on, she feels more self-conscious. She just wants to blend in, with a simple name like the other girls--why couldn't her parents have named her Megan or Bella? But when her mother tells her the meaning behind her name, it gives her the confidence she needs to introduce her classmates to the real Vanessa. |
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The Circles All Around Us This is the story of a circle. When we're first born, our circle is very small, but as we grow and build relationships, our circle keeps getting bigger and bigger to include family, friends, neighbours, community, and beyond. The perfect way to start a conversation about how to expand our worlds with kindness and inclusivity—even if it seems scary or uncomfortable. This book makes an ideal new-baby, first-day-of-school, or graduation gift, or any milestone that celebrates someone's world getting bigger. |
How to Apologize Wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone knew how to apologize? Luckily, this humorous guidebook is full of practical tips about when, why, and how to say you’re sorry. From a porcupine who accidentally popped his friend’s balloon to a snail who was running so fast he stepped on a sloth’s toes, hilarious examples and sweet illustrations abound. For both listeners who are just learning and older readers who need a refresher, this book will come as a welcome reminder that even though apologizing can be hard, it doesn’t have to be complicated.
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Lost in the Clouds A gentle story to help children understand death and grief When a loved one dies, it can be a difficult topic to explain to little ones. Let this heart-warming book help you support your child through their stages of grief. Billy misses his mommy very much. She lives in the clouds. Some days when he and Daddy play in the garden, he knows that Mommy is letting the sun shine for them. But not all days are like that. Sometimes Mommy’s clouds are dark, and Billy feels sad and alone. Teaches children how to understand and deal with their emotions surrounding the death of a loved one. |
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Wonder Walkers When two curious kids embark on a "wonder walk," they let their imaginations soar as they look at the world in a whole new light. They have thought-provoking questions for everything they see: Is the sun the world's light bulb? Is dirt the world's skin? Are rivers the earth's veins? Is the wind the world breathing? I wonder . . . Young readers will wonder too, as they ponder these gorgeous pages and make all kinds of new connections. What a wonderful world indeed! |
The Tree in Me Through poetic text and exquisite illustrations of children reveling in nature, this picture book explores the various ways we as human beings are strong, creative, and connected to others. Each of us is like a tree, with roots and fruit, and an enduring link to everything else in nature. "The tree in me is strong. It bends in the wind, and has roots that go deep . . . to where other roots reach up toward their own trunk-branch-crown and sky." |
More Than Fluff Daisy happens to be fluffy--she's a young chick after all. Her friends can't help but want to pet her, squeeze her, and tell her how cute she is. But Daisy doesn't want to be hugged or kissed. She's not just fluff; Daisy has substance! But how can she tell everyone to give her some space without hurting their feelings? |
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Big Feelings Help children navigate the emotional challenges they face in their daily lives. |
A New Day Sunday quit, just like that. She said she was tired of being a day. And so the other days of the week had no choice but to advertise: "WANTED: A NEW DAY. Must be relaxing, tranquil, and replenishing. Serious inquires only." Soon lots of hopefuls arrived with their suggestions, such as Funday, Bunday, Acrobaturday, SuperheroDay, and even MonstersWhoResembleJellyfishDay! Things quickly got out of hand . . . until one more candidate showed up: a little girl with a thank-you gift for Sunday. The girl suggested simply a nice day--a day to be kind. And her gratitude made a calendar's worth of difference to Sunday, who decided she didn't need to quit after all. |
Don't Hug Doug (He Doesn't Like It) Doug doesn't like hugs. He thinks hugs are too squeezy, too squashy, too squooshy, too smooshy. He doesn't like hello hugs or goodbye hugs, game-winning home run hugs or dropped ice cream cone hugs, and he definitely doesn't like birthday hugs. He'd much rather give a high five--or a low five, a side five, a double five, or a spinny five. Yup, some people love hugs; other people don't. So how can you tell if someone likes hugs or not? There's only one way to find out: Ask! Because everybody gets to decide for themselves whether they want a hug or not. |
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Meditation Station All aboard for Meditation Station! It's time to learn how to manage our busy minds, difficult feelings, and frustrations by staying with our breath and in our body. Your train of thoughts might be racing, but you can manage it with some simple steps. Take a deep breath in, and then let the breath out slowly. That is how you will learn what meditation is all about. The next train is coming. Can you hear it chugging along? Stay in the meditation station--don't hop on the train! Just wave goodbye to your racing mind and find inner calm.
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Rain Before Rainbows In this heartfelt story about courage, change, and moving on, a girl and her companion fox travel together away from a sorrowful past, through challenging and stormy times, toward colour and light and life. Along the way they find friends to guide and support them, and when the new day dawns, it is full of promise. With gorgeous, richly realised illustrations and immense hope at its heart, Rain Before Rainbows holds out a ray of sunshine for anyone looking for light. |
Where Happiness Begins Spare text and simple illustrations encourage readers to find happiness even if it feels far away. The book turns this elusive emotion into something real while acknowledging that you can’t be happy all the time. The thoughtful text reassures readers that when happiness is hard to find, they can look for it in many places.
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Can I Give You a Squish? An important lesson on consent for over-exuberant little huggers, nestled inside this lighthearted, summery story about expressions of love and friendship. Kai is a little mer-boy who's big on hugs--or "squishes," as he and his mama call them. But not everyone's a fan of Kai's spirited embrace, which he discovers soon after squishing a puffer fish, who swells up in fright! Kai feels awful; but with the help of his friends, he figures out another way to show his affection, and then everyone demonstrates their preferred ways of being greeted. Because, as Kai realizes, "Every fish likes their own kind of squish." |
The Power of One Every Act of Kindness Counts When one child reaches out in friendship to a classmate who seems lonely, she begins a chain reaction of kindness that ripples throughout her school and her community. One kind act begets another, small good deeds make way for bigger ones, and eventually the whole neighborhood comes together to build something much greater than the sum of its parts.
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Thank You, Helpers Doctors, Nurses, Teachers, Grocery Workers, and More Who Care for Us We have a lot of people to thank for helping us every day! Doctors, nurses, and paramedics help keep us healthy, while grocery workers, warehouse workers, and delivery people get us the supplies we need. And we can't forget teachers, volunteers, and the countless others who make the world a little brighter! With a upbeat rhyme scheme perfect for reading aloud, this celebration of all different kinds of helpers will be sure to entertain parents and children alike and foster an appreciation of those around us. |
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Crocodiles Need Kisses Too Fun-to-read-aloud, rhyming text describes prickly porcupines, roaring tigers, and slithery snakes--not the most cuddly creatures, but still worthy of hugs and snuggles from their mamas! With a luscious and colorful palette, this book shows that animals (and children) don't have to be warm and fuzzy to be totally lovable.
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Happy A Beginner's Book of Mindfulness This poetically-written introduction to mindfulness touches upon the most important aspects of life--feeling, discovering, smelling, listening, and all the things that bring the world to life. With every soothing read and practice, children are better equipped to understand and control their own emotions...and discover an appreciation for the beautiful world around them. |
I'm Sorry! By Barry Timms Scribble and Swoop are the best of friends - until the day they have a TERRIBLE ARGUMENT! Which friend will be the first to say, "I'm Sorry"? And can an apology fix their precious friendship? |
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Tomorrow I'll Be Kind This uplifting and positive book encourages kids to promise that tomorrow, they will be grateful, helpful, and kind. Tomorrow I'll be everything I strive to be each day And even when it's difficult I'll work to find a way. Immerse yourself in the beautifully hand-lettered words of widsom, hope, and positivity alongside adorable illustrations of love and caring. This book is a reminder to all readers, young and old, that the smallest kind gesture can make the biggest difference in the world--we just have to remember to be kind to one another. As an introduction to personality characteristics, beneficial behaviors, and social-emotional skills, this is a solid choice, and fans of the previous volume are likely to embrace this one as well. |
The Thank You Letter Celebrate gratitude and simple ways of brightening others’ days with this sweet, brightly illustrated story about a girl’s letters…and her town’s overwhelming response.
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Breathing Makes It Better A Book for Sad Days, Mad Days, Glad Days, and All the Feelings In-Between An engaging and interactive story showing children ages 3-6 the power of breath when dealing with new and difficult emotions. Read aloud and breathe along with this sweet story teaching children how to navigate powerful emotions like anger, fear, sadness, confusion, anxiety, and loneliness. Guides children to breathe through their feelings and find calm with recurring cues to stop and take a breath. Simple guided practices, like imagining you are a tree blowing in the wind, follow each story to teach children how to apply mindfulness techniques when they need them the most. |
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A Father's Love This heartwarming book celebrates the love that fathers and children share in the animal kingdom, while also teaching young readers about colors. Perfect for new babies, new fathers, baby shower gifts, Father's Day gifts, and for kids who love their dads on any old day. Throughout the animal kingdom, in every part of the world, fathers love and care for their babies. This book takes readers around the globe and across the animal kingdom, showcasing the many ways fathers have of demonstrating their love. Whether it's a penguin papa snuggling with his baby in the frosty white snow, a lion dad playing with his cub in a yellow field, or a seahorse father protecting his young inside his pouch in the deep blue ocean, we see that a father's love comes in all shapes, sizes, and colours. |
You're Missing It! A busy Hollywood couple spins a hilarious cautionary tale about what happens when you are glued to your phone. It's a lively day at the neighbourhood park. Birds are singing, squirrels are frolicking, dogs are causing a commotion--and wide-eyed children are enthralled by it all. Too bad the parents are missing everything! It's going to take something really BIG to get them to disengage from their phones . . . This timely story, brought to life with beautiful bold art, is a great reminder to slow down and savor time together. |
Big Boys Cry Let boys cry! This picture book imagines a world in which boys are encouraged to express their full range of emotions. Though the father immediately understands his misstep, he can't find the words to comfort his son, and Levi leaves for school, still in need of reassurance. Fortunately, along his walk to school, Levi sees instance after instance of grown men openly expressing their sadness and fear. His learned mantra, "Big boys don't cry," slowly weakens, and by the time he's at school he releases a tear. Once he's there, things aren't so bad after all, and on his walk home he sees everyone he's encountered earlier, feeling better now that they expressed their emotions. Upon his arrival home, he finds his father waiting for him on their porch, tears in his eyes. His father is able to admit that he was scared and the two embrace, closer than before. |
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The Rabbit Listened A moving and universal picture book about empathy and kindness, sure to soothe heartaches big and small—now a New York Times bestseller and a perfect gift for any special occasion When something sad happens, Taylor doesn't know where to turn. All the animals are sure they have the answer. The chicken wants to talk it out, but Taylor doesn't feel like chatting. The bear thinks Taylor should get angry, but that's not quite right either. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to act, and one by one they fail to offer comfort. Then the rabbit arrives. All the rabbit does is listen . . . which is just what Taylor needs. With its spare, poignant text and irresistibly sweet illustration, The Rabbit Listened is about how to comfort and heal the people in your life, by taking the time to carefully, lovingly, gently listen. |
When Sadness is at Your Door A comforting primer in emotional literacy and mindfulness that suggests we approach the feeling of sadness as if it is our guest. Sadness can be scary and confusing at any age! When we feel sad, especially for long periods of time, it can seem as if the sadness is a part of who we are--an overwhelming, invisible, and scary sensation. The beauty of this book's approach is in the respect the book has for the feeling, and the absence of a narrative that encourages the reader to "get over" it or indicates that it's "bad," both of which are anxiety-producing notions. |
The Book of Mistakes As one artist incorporates accidental splotches, spots, and misshapen things into her art, she transforms her piece in quirky and unexpected ways, taking readers on a journey through her process. Told in minimal, playful text, this story shows readers that even the biggest “mistakes” can be the source of the brightest ideas—and that, at the end of the day, we are all works in progress, too. Fans of Peter Reynolds’s Ish and Patrick McDonnell’s A Perfectly Messed-Up Story will love the funny, poignant, completely unique storytelling of The Book of Mistakes. And, like Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, it makes the perfect graduation gift, encouraging readers to have a positive outlook as they learn to face life’s obstacles. |
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Shy Shy loves birds. He'd love to watch them fly and hear them sing, but he's only ever read about them in books. . .until a real bird comes along. He's dying to meet her, but there's just one problem: Shy is, well, shy--so shy, in fact, that he's afraid to leave the gutter of the book. Can Shy overcome his fears and venture out onto the page? This sweetly relatable picture book from the acclaimed Deborah Freedman speaks to every child who's ever felt like hiding instead of facing the daunting world. |
A Letter to My Teacher So begins this heartfelt picture book about a girl who prefers running and jumping to listening and learning—and the teacher who gently inspires her. From stomping through creeks on a field trip to pretending to choke when called upon to read aloud, this book’s young heroine would be a challenge to any teacher. But this teacher isn’t just any teacher. By listening carefully and knowing just the right thing to say, she quickly learns that the girl’s unruly behaviour is due to her struggles with reading. And at the very end, we learn what this former student is now: a teacher herself. |
The Almost Impossible Thing Most of us want to fly--even if we know we're rooted to the ground. Especially if we know we're rooted to the ground! So when a rabbit spots a bird soaring in beautiful, colorful loop-de-loops, a dream is born. Though her friends tell her "You can't do that!" our rabbit is undeterred. Through comical ski jumps, trampoline bounces, swings on the trapeze, and experiments with kites . . . somehow, some way, there must be a way to fly. And there is! Teamwork. |
