Picture Books About Self-Acceptance and Self-Celebration
One of the most important things children can learn is to love and value themselves. Seeing their identity reflected in the pages of a book goes a long way towards building that self-confidence. If you want to help your child celebrate who they are, these picture books are a great place to start!
It seems that wherever Aria goes, someone wants to touch her hair. In the street, strangers reach for her fluffy curls; and even under the sea, in the jungle, and in space, she’s chased by a mermaid, monkeys, and poked by aliens… until, finally, Aria has had enough! Imaginative and fun, Don’t Touch My Hair! can be used to teach young readers about personal boundaries and asking for permission — and that it’s all right to be told “no” as well.
Rose’s heart is set on discovering something that’s never been found. She just doesn’t know where to find it. So she sets off on a wondrous journey, bounding from one spectacular world to the next. Her only guides are a set of maps drawn from her own imagination and her heart’s desire to explore new and exciting worlds. In this moving story of a trailblazing spirit, Rose follows her compass, and explores her creativity in a one-of-a-kind search through a collection of intricate maps that readers will love to get lost in.
When a drawing of a little girl comes to life, she doesn’t want to be erased, or put into a picture that doesn’t feel like her. Instead, she decides to speak up, and she has some words of advice: embrace what you have, love yourself, and “rock what ya got.” This joyful story offers a timeless lesson, reminding readers of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities that it’s okay to be yourself.
A little sea star sees the stars in the sky and wants nothing more than to shine as bright as they do. Little Hoshi focuses so much on those other stars that she misses all of the amazing things happening all around her. It takes a journey to the bottom of the ocean for Little Hoshi to find she can shine just as bright by embracing where she is. In today’s world it is easier than ever to look around and see what everyone else has. Remind your child that what they have and who they are is more than enough and plenty of cause for celebration.
With affirmations ranging from the delightfully absurd to the powerfully sincere, Todd Parr’s modern classic It’s Okay to Be Different reassures readers that everything about them is “okay.” This deceptively simple message can never be stated too many times, especially when paired with Parr’s signature dynamic artwork.
