To celebrate World Book Day we have rounded up our top five children’s books for teaching manners and everyday etiquette. As parents, we all want our children to be noticed for the right reasons and reading these stories will relay the message in a fun and positive way.
From table manners and being a good friend to building confidence and developing empathy, our selection of books will encourage your child to be kind, polite and mindful of others. Think of it as charm school in a book!
Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller
Follow Mr Rabbit’s journey to becoming a polite neighbour and good friend to the otters who move in next door. This book takes a witty and whimsical approach to teaching children the all-important Golden Rule of treating others as you want to be treated.
How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? By Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
If your child is mad about dinosaurs, this book is a fabulous and humorous way to introduce them to basic table manners. The dinosaurs demonstrate the correct way to eat and behave at the table, hopefully inspiring your little one to follow their example.
If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson
This book is aimed at 4-8 year olds and is a heart warming story that teaches children empathy and kindness. You can use it as a starting point for talking to your child about the importance of inclusion, compassion and acceptance.
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
If your child is prone to temper tantrums or going through a phase of not accepting ‘no’ for an answer, this hilarious story is perfect. A bus driver takes a break and asks the reader to make sure that the very unreasonable and persistent pigeon does not take over the wheel.
A Smart Girl’s Guide: Manners: The Secret to Grace, Confidence and Being Your Best by Nancy Holyoke
For older girls, this book from the American Girls series is a comprehensive guide to everyday etiquette and handling tricky social situations. It is packed with useful advice, humorous illustrations, letters from other girls and entertaining quizzes.
There are plenty of other children’s books for teaching manners that will help equip young people with the tools to navigate life at school, friendships and social situations. We are always happy to recommend reading material for both children and adults so please get in touch if you would like to have a chat about suitable books.
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