Tolerance
Suggestions from Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
www.mtlebanonlibrary.org
Picture books for children in preschool—second grade
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The ugly duckling / Hans Christian Andersen
An ugly duckling spends an unhappy year excluded by the other animals before he grows into a beautiful swan.
The Berenstain Bears' new neighbors / Stan & Jan Berenstain
Papa Bear learns a lesson in the importance of acceptance when a family of pandas moves in across the road.
Old Henry / Joan W. Blos
Henry's neighbors don’t like that he ignores them and lets his property get run down, but when they drive him away, they find they miss him.
Arrowville / Geefwee Boedoe
When the Target family travels through Arrowville, the people there mistake them for enemies.
Isabelle's new friend / Laurent de Brunhoff
Isabelle the elephant and Vic the rhino are friends, despite the bad feelings between their respective species.
Smoky Night / Eve Bunting
During the Los Angeles riots, a boy and his mother learn the value of getting along with others regardless of their race or background.
Loudmouth George and the new neighbors / Nancy Carlson
When George the rabbit finally decides to play with the new pig neighbors next door, he finds out they aren't so bad after all.
Harry and Willy and Carrothead / Judith Caseley
3 boys overcome prejudicial ideas about appearances to become friends.
See You Tomorrow, Charles / Miriam Cohen
A first grade class learns that the new boy, who is blind, is just like them.
White Socks Only / Evelyn Coleman
A little girl takes her first trip alone into a Mississippi town when it is still segregated.
The golden rule / Ilene Cooper
Grandpa explains the golden rule as it is practiced by all ages and faiths: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
But Martin! / June Counsel
Five very different children—one of whom is green!—have fun at school.
Miss Viola and Uncle Ed Lee / Alice Faye Duncan
A young boy helps his two very different neighbors become friends.
Metropolitan cow /Tim Egan
Bennett the cow becomes good friends with Webster, a pig who moves in next door, even though his parents aren’t comfortable with the idea.
A taste of colored water / Matt Faulkner
LuLu and Jelly are excited to see the "colored" water they heard is in the city's water fountain, but when they are not allowed to taste it they wonder “what color does a person have to be to get a taste of colored water?”
Feathers and Fools / Mem Fox
A fear of the differences between swans and peacocks almost leads to their destruction in this modern fable.
Whoever you are / Mem Fox
Despite the differences between people around the world, there are similarities that join us together, such as pain, joy, and love.
New kid in town / Claire Freedman
His new neighbors warn Mouse about horrible Big Wolf who lives on the hill but Mouse discovers that Big Wolf is really a very nice friend.
A pig is moving in! / Claudia Fries
Three animal friends are worried when a pig moves into their building, and are surprised to find he is a good neighbor.
Henry and the kite dragon / Bruce Edward Hall
New friends are made when dragon kites and homing pigeons cause the children from New York’s Chinatown and Little Italy to look at things from each other’s perspective.
All the colors of the Earth / Sheila Hamanaka
This verse teaches that even though children everywhere are different, in many ways they are also the same.
Grandparents song / Sheila Hamanaka
A celebration of the diversity that flourishes in this country.
Chrysanthemum / Kevin Henkes
Chrysanthemum loves her name, until she starts going to school and the other children make fun of it.
Clancy the courageous cow / Lachie Hume
At the annual cow wrestling match, Clancy the cow demonstrates the foolishness of judging by appearances.
Fishing Sunday / Tony Johnston
A young boy is embarrassed by his grandfather’s old Japanese ways, but on one of their fishing Sundays, he learns to see his grandfather in a new light.
The Worm family / Tony Johnston
The Worm family moves from place to place before finally finding friends who accept and appreciate those who are different.
Tacky the penguin / Helen Lester
Tacky does not fit in with his prim companions, but when his odd behavior saves them from hunters, the other penguins decide he really is nice to know.
Yoshiko and the Foreigner / Mimi Otey Little
In spite of her upbringing, a young Japanese woman begins seeing an American soldier and finds that he isn’t like the foreigners her parents taught her to avoid.
Sister Anne’s Hands / Marybeth Lorbiecki
When an African-American nun comes to teach at her school, 7 year-old Anna has her first encounter with racism.
The Bus Ride / William Miller
In this story, loosely based on the story of Rosa Parks, a little girl who decides to sit in the front of the bus brings about the change of an unjust law.
The Drinking Gourd / F. N. Monjo (beginning reader- j Er MONJO)
A New England boy helps a black family escape on the Underground Railroad.
Bein' with you this way / W. Nikola-Lisa
This rap introduces children to how people are both different and the same.
The Robobots / Matt Novak
Although they are labeled ‘too different’ by their neighbors, eventually the Robobot family convinces them that they are a family worth knowing.
Mr. Lincoln's way / Patricia Polacco
When Mr. Lincoln, "the coolest principal in the whole world," discovers that Eugene, the school bully, knows a lot about birds, he uses this interest to help Eugene overcome his intolerance.
Spotty / Margret Rey
Excluded from a party because his spots make him different, Spotty the bunny runs away from home.
This is our house / Michael Rosen
George won't let other children into his cardboard box house, because they are too short, or girls, or have the wrong color hair, but when the tables are turned, he finds out how it feels to be excluded. (paperback- j E-pb R)
Arthur sets sail / Libor Schaffer
Arthur the aardvark's trip to the land of the rosy-pink pigs helps each group begin to be more tolerant.
“The Sneetches,” in The Sneetches and other Stories / Dr. Seuss
Plain-Belly Sneetches and Star-Belly Sneetches learn that “Sneetches are Sneetches, and no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.”
Angel Child, Dragon Child / Michele Maria Surat
A Vietnamese girl is teased by her new American schoolmates until they learn the history of her family.
The Araboolies of Liberty Street / Sam Swope
The kids of Liberty Street join together to help the Araboolies when mean General Pinch calls in the army to move them because they look different.
Dad, Jackie, and me / Myron Uhlberg
A boy learns about discrimination and tolerance as he and his deaf father share their enthusiasm over baseball and the Dodgers' first baseman, Jackie Robinson.
Candy shop / Jan Wahl
When a boy and his aunt find that a bigot has written something on the sidewalk outside the candy shop owned by a new immigrant from Taiwan, they set out to comfort the owner.
Chinese Eyes / Marjorie Ann Waybill
When people make fun of Becky because her eyes are differently shaped, her mother shows her how their eyes are really all the same.
Champions on the bench: the Cannon Street YMCA All Stars / Carole Boston Weatherford
A story based on fact: in 1955, 61 white baseball teams refused to play the Cannon Street YMCA Little League All-Stars in the state tournament.
Yoko / Rosemary Wells
When Yoko brings sushi to school for lunch, her classmates make fun of what she eats--until one of them tries it for himself.
Crow Boy / Taro Yashima
In this classic picture book a shy Japanese boy is treated as an outsider at school because he is different.
Look for these and other great books in
The Children's Library
Mt. Lebanon Public Library
16 Castle Shannon Blvd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15228
412.531.1913 6/08
www.mtlebanonlibrary.org
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