The Family Values Bookshelf
You found your family's core values. These are the stories that bring them to life, read them together, then ask the question that builds the lens: "what value did that character show?
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← slide the shelf to see all 15 values →
Courage
For the kid learning that brave doesn't mean unafraid, it means afraid and trying anyway.
Brave Irene
William Steig
A little seamstress braves a terrible storm to deliver a gown.
Pure courage in the face of fear.
The Dark
Lemony Snicket
A boy must befriend the darkness in the basement.
A beautiful metaphor for facing what scares us.
Number the Stars
Lois Lowry
A girl courageously helps hide her Jewish friend during WWII. Classic literature teaching moral courage.
Kindness
Because the world gives our kids plenty of feedback, home is where they learn to give grace.
Have You Filled a Bucket Today?
Carol McCloud
Introduces the concept that kindness "fills" the people around us. Perfect for conversation.
Each Kindness
Jacqueline Woodson
A girl realizes the ripple effect of kindness and regrets.
Wonder
R.J. Palacio
A boy with a facial difference navigates school. Kindness from unexpected places. Perfect for family reading.
Perseverance
Hard does not mean wrong. Hard means you're building something real.
After the Fall
Dan Santat
Humpty Dumpty learns to try again after his great fall. Resilience and perseverance in picture form.
The Most Magnificent Thing
Ashley Spires
A girl realizes the ripple effect of kindness and regrets.
Hatchet
Gary Paulsen
A girl courageously helps hide her Jewish friend during WWII. Classic literature teaching moral courage.
Faith
Trusting in something bigger than yourself, even when you can't see the whole picture.
The Giver
Lois Lowry
A boy in a controlled society begins to question and seek truth. Faith in conscience and free will.
The Tale of Three Trees
Angela Elwell Hunt
A girl realizes the ripple effect of kindness and regrets.
Integrity
Doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
The Adventures of Pinocchio
Carlo Collodi
A puppet discovers that integrity isn't just about becoming real, it's about choosing truth even when lying is easier.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
William Kamkwamba
True story of a boy whose integrity and innovation save his village.
Charlotte's Web
E.B. White
Charlotte lives with integrity right to the end, true to her friend and her nature.