Characters with Character

Characters with Character

Here is a list of picture books and short chapter books that address various character traits. Compiled by Sherri Campbell and Last Updated April, 2009

*Titles are available in the Elementary Library or **Middle School Library.

Adaptability
Title / Author
*Espossumondas / Coleen
*Marianthe's Story: Painted Words / Aliki
Owen / Henkes
Peter's Chair / Keats
The Name Jar / Choi
Bullying
Title / Author
*Recess Queen / O’Neill
*Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon / Lovell
Caring
Title / Author
Alexander and the Windup Mouse / Lionni
*Boxes for Katje / Fleming
*Chicken Sunday / Polacco
*Corduroy / Freeman
Corduroy’s Pocket / Freeman
*Frog and Toad are Friends / Lobel
How Many Days to America / Bunting
Hundred Dresses / Estes
Jamaica’s Find / Havill
Marvin Redpost: Is He a Girl? / Sacher
**Molly’s Pilgrim / Cohen
Puppy Who Wanted a Boy / Thayer
*Relatives Came / Rylant
Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink / De Groat
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs / Ackerman
*Song and Dance Man
Contemplation
Title / Author
*Angel Child, Dragon Child / Surat
*Desser the Best Cat Ever / Smith
Don't Fidget a Feather / Silverman
*Littlest Wolf / Brimner
*Pinduli / Cannon
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge / Fox
Courage
Title / Author
Arthur's Loose Tooth / Hoban
Big Book of American Heroes / Janulewicz
Bishop Desmond Tutu, bishop of Peace / Greene
**Catch that Pass / Christopher
Clancy the Courageous Cow / Hume
Clara Caterpillar / Edwards
Clear the Pasture, I'm coming in for a Landing / Quackenbush,
Cornrows / Yarbrough
Courage / Goley
*Cowardly Clyde / Peet
**Dicey's Song / Voight
*Dr. DeSoto / Steig
*Going Home / Bunting
Helen Keller: courage in the dark / Hurwitz
Henry and the Haunted House / Slater
*Ira Sleeps Over / Weber
Island of the Blue Dolphin / O'Dell
Li Lun, Lad of Courage / Treffinger
*Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth / Bate
Molly the Brave and Me / O'Connor
*Nory Ryan's Song / Giff
*Number the Stars / Lowry
*Oliver Button is a Sissy / De Paola
One of the Third Grade Thonkers / Naylor
Red Dog / Wallace
Scarface Claw / Dodd
Shelia Rae, the Brave / Henkes
Sitting Bull: Courageous Siouz Chief / Shaughnessy
*Tacky the Penguin / Lester,
Teammates / Golenbock
*There's a Nightmare in my Closet / Mayer
Thundercake / Pollaco
Uncle Rain Cloud / Johnston
**When My Name was Keoko / Park,
*Wringer / Spinelli
Differences/Uniqueness
Title / Author
*Bein' With You This Way / Nikola-Lisa
Big Al / Clements
*Chrysanthemum / Henkes
*Morris Goes to School / Wiseman
Marvelous Me / Bullard
*Grouchy Ladybug / Carle
*Giant Carrot / Peck
*Stellaluna / Cannon
Swimmy / Lionni
The Story of Ferdinand / Leaf
The Colors of Us / Katz
The Seven Chinese Sisters / Tucker
Friendship
Title / Author
Amos and Boris / Steig
*Angel Child, Dragon Child / Surat
*Corduroy / Freeman
Jamica and Brianna / Havill
*Rainbow Fish / Pfister
Simon and Molly Plus Hester / Jahn-Clough
Family Traditions
Title / Author
Pablo's Tree / Mora
The Ugly Vegetables / Lin
I Love Saturdays / Ada
Nadia's Hands / English
Gratitude/Generosity/Love and Family/Peace
Title / Author
*Abuela / Dorros
*Amazing Grace / Hoffman
Bernard Wants a Baby / Goodman
Gratitude/Generosity/Love and Family/Peace
Birthday Swap / McKissack
Bunny Cakes / Wells
Deep in the Jungle / Yaccarino
Families / Morris
*Goin' Someplace Special / McKissack
Island of the Skog, The / Kellogg
Manuela's Gift / Estes
Mousekin's Christmas Eve / Miller
Musical Max / Kraus
*On Mother's Lap / Scott
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me / Carle
Peace at last / Murphy
*Ralph S. Mouse / Cleary
*Ruby Mae has something to say / Small
Sam and the Lucky Money / Chinn
Honesty Integrity Truthful
Title / Author
213 Valentines / Cohen
Abe Lincoln’s Hat
*And to think That I saw it on Mulberry Street / Seuss
Arthur and the True Francine / Brown
Beauty and the Beast / Brett
Bedtime for Frances / Hoban
*Berenstain Bears and the Truth / Berenstain
*Big Fat Enormous Lie / Sharmat
*Book of Virtues
Boy Who Cried Wolf
Doorbell Rang / Hutchins
Emperor's New Clothes / Anderson
Fancy Feet / Giff
*Franklin Fibs / Bourgeois
*Frog and Toad Books / Lobel
*Ira Sleeps Over / Waber
Jackalope
Jamaica's Find / Havill
*Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook / Park
*Junie B. Jones Cheater Pants
*Liar, Liar Pants on Fire / G. Korman
*Liar, Liar Pants on Fire / DeGroat
Lion and the Mouse / Aesop
Little Red Hen / Galdone
Pecos Bill / Kellogg
Honesty Integrity Truthful
*Roxaboxen / McLerran
Sam, Bang and Moonshine / Ness
*Stone Fox / Gardiner
Tale of Peter Rabbit
Too Many Tamales / Soto
*True Story of the 3 Little Pigs / Scieszka
*We're Going on a Bear Hunt / Rosen
Initiative/Resourcefulness
Title / Author
*A House for Hermit Crab / Carle
*All Stuck Up / Hayward
*Brave Irene / Steig
*Cat in the Hat / Seuss
*Cat in the Hat Comes Back / Seuss
*Chicken Sunday / Polacco
*Doctor De Soto / Steig
Doorbell Rang / Hutchins
Five Chinese Brothers / Bishop
*Miss Rumphius / Cooney
*More Than Anything Else / Bradby
Peter's Chair / Keats
*Stone Soup / McGovern
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge / Fox
Kindness
Title / Author
A Birthday Basket for Tia / Mora
*Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day / Viorst
Alfie Gives a Hand / Hughes
*Amazing Grace / Hoffman
Enemy Pie / Munson
Feelings / Aliki
Fishing Day / Pinkney
*Full Belly Bowl / Aylesworth
*Going Home / Bunting
*How to Lose All Your Friends / Carlson
Ian's Walk / Lears
If the Shoe Fits / Soto
Johnny Appleseed / Kunstler
Kindness
Kermit the Hermit / Peet
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters / Aardema
Night Tree / Bunting
Now One Foot, Now the Other / DePaola
Old Man and His Door / Soto
Oliver Button is a Sissy / DePaola
*Shiloh Season / Naylor
Sukey and the Mermaid / San Souci
*Wanda's Roses / Brisson
What If Everybody Did That? / Javernick
Loyalty
Title / Author
*A Chair for my Mother / Williams
Amos & Boris / Steig
Best Friends / Kellogg
*Blueberries for Sal / McCloskey
Chester's Way / Henkes
*Frog and Toad are Friends / Lobel
*Keeping Quilt / Polacco
*Mama, Do You Love Me? / Joosse
Matthew and Tilly / Jones
*Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel / Burton
*Now One Foot, Now the Other / De Paola
*Velveteen Rabbit / Williams
Optimism Hope Joy
Title / Author
A River Ran Wild / Cherry
A Tree is Nice / Udry
Amy Said / Waddell
Annie and the Old One / Miles
*Arthur Meets the President / Brown
Arthur's Perfect Christmas / Brown
Carrot Seed / Krauss
Feelings / Aliki
Great Joy / DiCamillo
Humphrey's Bear / Wahl
*I.Q. Goes to School / Fraser
Joyful Noise: poems for two voices / Fleischman
*Joseph Had a Little Overcoat / Taback
Littlest Wolf / Brimner
Mouse and the Motorcycle / Cleary
Optimism Hope Joy
*Nicholas Cricket / Maxner
*Oliver / Hoff
Onion Tears / Kidd
*Picnic in October / Bunting
Shoes / Winthrop
*Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon / Lovell
*Whingdingdilly / Peet
Woodcutter's Coat / Wolff
Patriotism Citizenship Learning
Title / Author
*500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins / Seuss
*Cabin Faced West / Fritz
*Drinking Gourd / Monjo
Flag of the United States
*Flag We Love / Ryan
*Miss Rumphius / Cooney
Molly’s Pilgrim
*Officer Buckle and Gloria / Rathmann
Pledge of Allegiance
Scrambled States of America
Statue of Liberty / Sorensen
Perseverance Patience Determination
Title / Author
*500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins / Seuss
*Abel's Island / Steig
Alexander, Who is Not..going to Move / Viorst
*Alexander, Who used to be Rich / Viorst
*Amazing Grace / Hoffman
*Biggest Bear / Ward
*Brave Irene / Steig
*Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (video) / Aardema
*Carrot Seed / Krauss
*Chester the Out of Work Dog / Singer
*Giving Tree / Silverstein
*Glorious Flight / Provenson
*Horton Hatches the Egg / Seuss
*Horton Hears a Who / Seuss
Itsy, Bitsy Spider / Trapani
*Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse / Henkes
Perseverance Patience Determination
*Little Engine that Could / Piper
Little Red Hen / Galdone
*Lorax / Seuss
*Lotus Seed / Garland
*Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel / Burton
Mrs. Mooley / Kent
One in the middle is the Green Kangaroo / Blume
*Salt in His Shoes / Jordan
*Sneetches / Seuss
Something Is Going to Happen / Zolotow
Sophie's Masterpiece / Spinelli
*Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon / Lovell
*Stone Soup / Stewig
*Ugly Duckling / Anderson
Respect Courtesy
Title / Author
18th Emergency / Byars
*Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible…. / Viorst
Amos & Boris / Steig
*Arthur's Eyes (and Video) / Brown
Arthur's Nose / Brown
Best Friends for Frances / Hoban
Big Bad Bruce / Peet
Bill of Rights / Colman
Black Snowman / Mendez
*Bridge to Terabithia / Paterson
Brother Eagle, Sister Sky / Seattle
*Butter Battle Book / Seuss
Caleb & Kate / Steig
Chester's Way / Henkes
*Chrysanthemum / Henkes
*Clifford's Manners / Bridwell
Cricket in Times Square / Selden
Elijah's Angel / Rosen
*Frog and Toad Are Friends / Lobel
*Frog and Toad Together / Lobel
George and Martha / Marshall
*Giving Tree / Silverstein
*Great Kapok Tree, The / Cherry
Grouchy Ladybug / Carle
Hey, Get Off Our Train / Burningham
*Hooway for Wodney Wat / Lester
Hundred Penny Box
Respect Courtesy
I Like Me
Island Baby / Keller
*Johnny Appleseed / Kellogg
Just Plain Fancy / Polacco
Just Say Please / Mayer
*Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse / Henkes
*Littlest Wolf / Brimner
Manners / Aliki
Me First / Lester
Mice Twice / Low
*Mightiest / Kasza
Mixed Up Chameleon / Carle
Molly's Pilgrim / Cohen
Mrs. Katz and Tush / Polacco
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters / Steptoe
Name Jar / Choi
*Owl Moon / Yolen
Rabbit Hill / Lawson
Reluctant Dragon
Sarah, Plain and Tall / MacLachlan
Shiloh / Naylor
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon / Lovell
There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom / Sachar
Thy Friend, Obadiah / Turkle
Ugly Duckling / Anderson
Village of Round and Square Houses / Grifalconi
What is Veteran's Day? / Parker`
Yertle the Turtle / Seuss
Zeely
Responsibility
Title / Author
*Alexander, Who used to be Rich Last Sunday / Viorst
All by Myself / Aliki
Amos and Boris / Steig
Arthur's Computer Disaster / Brown
*Arthur's Pet Business / Brown
Arthur Babysits
Backyard Angel
Berenstain Bears and the Homework Hassle / Berenstain
Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room / Berenstain
Biggest Bear / Ward
Can I Keep Him? / Steig
*David Goes to School / Shannon
Responsibility
Farmer Duck / Waddell
*Horton Hatches an Egg / Seuss
I Just Forgot / Mayer
It Wasn’t My Fault
Jamaica's Find / Havill
Little Red Hen
Marvin Redpost: Alone in his Teacher's House / Sachar
Matthew and Tilly / Jones
*Miss Rumphius / Cooney
Mother's Day Mice / Bunting
Music, Music for Everyone / Williams
*No, David
*Salamander Room / Mazer
Shoeshine Girl
Song and Dance Man / Ackerman
Stevie
*Story of Ruby Bridges
Story About Ping / Flack
*Strega Nona / De Paola
The Summer My Father was Ten / Brisson
Swimmy
*Two Bad Ants / Van Allsburg
*Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears / Aardema
Wilfrid Gordon McPartridge / Fox
Self-Control Fairness
Title / Author
*Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good… / Viorst
*Alexander, Who Used to be Rich
Apple Picking Time
Arthor’s Teacher Trouble
Arthur's Valentine / Brown
Arthur's Thanksgiving / Brown
Arthur's Tooth / Brown
Bee My Valentine
Babushka’s Baba Yaga
Berenstain Bears and the Slumber Party / Berenstain
Berenstain Bears and the Truth / Berenstain
Biggest Bear / Ward
*Chicken Sunday / Pollacco
*Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type / Cronin
*David in Trouble
*Doctor De Soto / Steig
*How to Eat Fried Worms / Rockwell
Keepers of the Earth
Self-Control Fairness
*Keeping Quilt / Pollacco
*Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse / Henkes
*Lorax / Seuss
*Miss Nelson is Back` / Allard
*Miss Nelson is Missing / Allard
Pain and the Great One / Blume
Thunder Cake / Pollacco
*Tops and Bottoms / Stevens
Tortoise and the Hare
Where the Wild Things Are / Sendack

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