Great stories help students grow and promote empathy, confidence, and communication. Introducing core values and life skills is beneficial to developing the whole child for interactions in the classroom and world at large.
To showcase our extensive collection of titles that highlight core values and life skills, Lee & Low Books is excited to share our new resource, Core Values and Life Skills for Every Month.
Discover core values and life skills for each month and their corresponding titles below.
What virtues, values, and skills does your school feature each month and all year long? We’d love to help enrich your student program and lessons. Contact us at quotes@leeandlow.com to speak with our Sales and Literacy team.
September: Responsibility & Friendship
by Susan L. Roth, illustrated by Cindy Trumbore
ROBERT F. SIBERT INFORMATIONAL BOOK AWARD
ORBIS PICTUS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING NONFICTION HONOR
⭐5 STARRED REVIEWS⭐
⭐ "A thoughtful and thorough examination of the ways human action can both help and harm animal populations." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
by Paula Yoo, illustrated by Shirley Ng-Benitez
"Young readers are sure to want to join Pablo, Lily, and all of their friends, and it's wonderful to note that the diverse characterization will aid in making many feel all the more included." —Kirkus Reviews
October: Respect, Curiosity & Scholarship
by Jen Cullerton Johnson, illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler
JOHN STEPTOE AWARD FOR NEW TALENT IN ILLUSTRATION
⭐ "Richer than other treatments of Maathai for children and more grounded in her work's implicit feminism. . . Maathai always wears a colorful headscarf or fabric bow, and the community spirit she resuscitates is joyfully celebrated on every spread. Vibrant and accomplished." —Kirkus Reviews
by Cathryn Falwell
"Pesky siblings will be pesky siblings--but the final page-turn shows they can be welcome playmates, too." —The Horn Book
November: Gratitude
by Pat Mora, illustrated by John Parra
PURA BELPRÉ ILLUSTRATOR AWARD HONOR
"The originality and liveliness of language and art in this one will inspire children to consider their own blessings." - Booklist." —Booklist
by Cathryn Falwell
"A story that positively revels in family togetherness and good food. The typeface of key words changes color as the rhyming text carries readers through the day, reflecting the theme. A treat." —Kirkus Reviews
December: Kindness, Empathy, Caring, Generosity & Service
by Edith Hope Fine, illustrated by René King Moreno
"[A] moving tribute to the need for compassion and forgiveness. . . Fine offers a litigious world an inspiring example of the power of forgiveness, while Moreno's luminous watercolors gently depict rural life in Mexico." —Kirkus Reviews
by John Frank, illustrated by London Ladd
"Written in simple everyday language, these 14 free verse poems show young people in acts of sharing, caring, or kindness. . . [Paired] in conjunction with home or classroom discussions about social responsibilities, waging peace, or bullying, these instances of individual and collective giving may serve as inspiring models." —Booklist
January: Hope, Optimism & Joy
by Kelly J. Baptist, illustrated by Darnell Johnson
⭐ "An all-around wonderful book that will inspire laughter and perhaps even a little dancing." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
- Kirkus Reviews
by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, illustrated by Adjoa J. Burrowes
"[A] love letter - to all youngsters who embrace the world of words, and to the independent booksellers who nurture their passion." —Publishers Weekly
February: Courage
by Lisa D. Brathwaite, illustrated by Lynn Gaines
"Brathwaite's wonderfully researched picture-book biography introduces elementary audiences to the impressive life and achievements of Eunice W. Johnson, a pioneer of Black fashion and cofounder of EBONY magazine." —Booklist
by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Duane Smith
"Page turns and textual pacing combine to relate the actual escape with pulse-pounding excitement; readers' relief at Smalls's success is almost physical. A triumph." —Kirkus Reviews
March: Resilience, Determination, Growth Mindset, Honesty & Integrity
by Susan L. Roth, illustrated by Cindy Trumbore
ALSC NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOKS
""This moving depiction of ecological innovation centers on a project spearheaded by Dr. Gordon Sato to plant mangrove trees. . . . Graceful prose alternates with cumulative verse to relay the benefits that the trees provided for the community." —Publishers Weekly
by Emeline Lee, illustrated by Alina Chau
"In a fresh perspective on events which changed the universe, Bonnie's Rocket reveals to readers that STEM is at its most powerful when it is personal." —Andrea Beaty, New York Times bestselling author of Rosie Revere, Engineer
April: Collaboration, Teamwork, Interdependence
by Cathryn Falwell
ALSC NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOKS
"In this gentle and appealing story, a boy figures out how to stay true to his own artistic vision while allowing his friends to express their own creativity." —School Library Journal
by William Nikola, illustrated by Don Tate
"The rhythmic verses beg to be read aloud, and the colors and typeface are bold enough for group sharing. A cheery introduction to farm life and simple poetry." —Kirkus Reviews
May: Creativity, Imagination, Resourcefulness & Problem Solving
by Jane Park, illustrated by Felicia Hoshino
"Juna is adorable, her facial expressions matching the honest emotion of the text. The role played by the book's title object is compelling as well, and you might want to prepare for a first reading to a child by having a jar of similar size and shape on hand." —The New York Times
by Christy Hale
BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK AWARDS WINNER
""This extraordinary new picture book masterfully tackles the complex task of contextualizing seemingly complex architectural concepts within a child's own world of play." —Kirkus Reviews
June: Sportsmanship & Humor
by Stanley Todd Terasaki, illustrated by Shelly Shinjo
"[T]he artwork conveys the lovingly worn texture of a generations-old family story, and the comfort that parents offer fearful children of any time and place." —Publishers Weekly
by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, illustrated by Adjoa J. Burrowes
"This playful and unique story combines tai chi and yoga as Mei Mei and her grandpa Gong Gong show the merits and techniques of each." —Booklist
