Here are 8 books that you should read to your Elementary school going kid. Let me start with Just  a little background.

I signed up for something called ABC(Assets Building Champions) reading in my Son’s school.ABC reading is associated with Project cornerstone which schools in silicon valley sign up to read books for kids in the classroom every month.There is more to this but in short this is what the volunteers do for a school year. I was amazed by the efforts that this non-profit organization puts in to make the children and teen feel valued and respected.All this made happen by volunteers(like us parents).Each month we read a book in the classroom followed by some activities related to the book we read. I simply love them because I go into their classroom every month and read these awesome books and you could see that the kids are ready to apply these skills they have learnt through the book in their daily life…

Books are mainly based on how to avoid being bullied,how not be a bully,how your behavior might affect others etc. From our personal experience, each time my son faced any issue at school or among friends I would always remind him about what we read in the book and what he had learned and how he can apply those learnings.

Here are the Books!

Book 1: Have You Filled A Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids, by Carol McCloud. Have You Filled A Bucket Today? uses the image of a bucket to represent our need to be filled with positive, caring words every day. When we are kind to each other, we create warm fuzzies that fill our friends’ and classmates’ buckets.The book also discusses bucket dippers, whose negative behavior removes warm fuzzies from other people’s buckets and makes them feel sad. The lesson’s goal is to help students intentionally choose to fill their classmates’ buckets with kindness in order to treat each other with respect.

Book 2: Simon’s Hook by Karen Gedig Burnett. In this book, Simon is teased because he’s having a “bad hair day.” Simon’s Hook helps children learn that there are many ways to respond to teasing, and offers several examples of ways that kids can empower themselves and avoid becoming a victim of someone else’s hurtful behavior.

Book 3: Say Something by Peggy Moss. In Say Something, the narrator sees and hears teasing, put-downs, pushing, excluding and other forms of bullying behaviors at her school. Because she’s confused about what to do, she doesn’t do anything at first. However, her responses change as she gains understanding and empathy.

Book 4: Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna. Mr. Peabody is a respected role model in his small town. But, a rumor damages his reputation and he is shunned by the community. This story is a vivid reminder of the way that words can hurt others. To avoid harming other people, we must be careful about what we say. And, before we speak, we must learn the whole story and understand the truth.

Book 5: Nobody Knew What to Do, by Becky Ray McCain. This book tells the story of how one child found the courage to be an UP-stander and tell a teacher about a fellow student who was being picked on and bullied by children in school.

Book 6: The Empty Pot, by Demi. This Chinese traditional tale is about a boy named Ping who lived a long time ago in China. What happens in the story teaches children the value of courage, honesty, responsibility, integrity, and perseverance. These tools will empower students to value being true to themselves even when it is not easy.

Book 7: One by Kathryn Otoshi. According to Otoshi, “How one voice can count and affect change. Many times we think, ‘I’m so small. What can I do?’ But we do have an effect! It’s about changing thinking. When one person stands up for something, it might be just enough to tip the next person over and inspire him or her to also stand up.”

One helps students recognize that they have the power to effectively react and respond to bullying behaviors. The key messages are “Everyone counts” and “It just takes ONE to make a difference.”

Book 8: Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill. In this story, Mean Jean the “recess queen” rules the playground with an iron fist. No one dares cross her path for fear of being hit, punched, or kicked. One day, a new girl shows up on the playground and catches Mean Jean completely off guard. Katie Sue is not the least bit intimidated by Mean Jean. Katie Sue actually invites her to join in a jump rope game! In no time, Jean and Katie Sue become friends.This clever book helps our students think of creative ideas to handle bully behaviors during lunch and recess.

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