Children's Books With Moral Impact

A child's moral development is a long and colorful process.

It begins with our innate abilities, as humans, to recognize the worth in both ourselves and in others.

It comes with natural cognitive development, trying moral dilemmas, and a whole lot of trial and error.

Even when we are raised in a household with a certain set of moral values, our own moral development ultimately relies on our personal experiences.

It relies on our ability to develop self-regulation skills, to make sound moral judgments, and to develop a perspective-taking ability.

Many of these lessons come in early childhood, especially when cognitive development is at its peak.

They shape our behavior and decision-making skills as children until, finally, we are adults.

This is why children's literature includes so many books that teach on moral issues.

The problem?

For decades, children's fiction has used anthropomorphic animals to tell stories and teach morality to our young children.

Fairy tales that tell cute stories about human-like animals, objects, and more are certainly entertaining but they do very little to teach morality to the young reader.

Only in recent years have we discovered that when it comes to moral education, using human characters in picture books is the most effective way to make a lasting impact on the child.

For parents searching for children's books with moral impact, it is best to look for books with human characters and relatable stories.

Young children lack the communication skills and complex thinking skills to fully explore moral dilemmas like adults. Instead, they look to people--whether it is in their life or in the stories that they read--for guidance.

This is why My BIG Book of Beginnings is so special.

The main character is a young (human) child who is exploring the world openly and lovingly. It is a story that any child can relate to and serves as a launching point for more complex moral lessons, self-image issues, and imaginative play.

Children's fiction can be and should be, so much more than entertainment. We can pave the way for the future with the very first story that we tell our children.

What story do you want to tell?

Join me in spreading the love and broadening the moral compass to the generation of young children below us.

For every 10 books purchased, I donate a book to children and families in less fortunate circumstances. Let's ensure that no child is without the opportunity to develop a moral compass and self-compassion right from the very beginning.