Check out our commonkind list of favourite books that celebrate community for preschoolers. All books are ruthlessly reviewed by our panel of real child judges! Although they are still learning kindness they don’t hold back on the important subject of books!
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WHOEVER YOU ARE
by Mem Fox & Leslie Staub (AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR)
Why we like it
This timeless picture book carries a powerful message: despite differences in culture, language, or skin, all children share the same joys, hopes, and dreams. Mem Fox’s gentle prose and Leslie Staub’s vibrant illustrations invite us to celebrate unity in diversity. This book speaks to our mission of building bridges across generations and backgrounds, showing children that kindness connects us all.
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From the Publisher
A special 25th anniversary edition of this much-loved classic. Every day all over the world, children are laughing and crying, playing and learning, eating and sleeping. They may not look the same. They may not speak the same language. Their lives may be quite different. But inside, they are just like you.
WE ARE ALL NEIGHBOURS
by Alexandra Penfold & Suzanne Kaufman
Why we like it
Set in a lively, diverse neighbourhood, We Are All Neighbours celebrates community life where everyone is welcomed and valued. The story highlights how differences in culture, traditions, and lifestyles enrich us when we come together. We treasure this book for its joyful vision of inclusive communities. It mirrors the spirit of our programs – creating spaces where everyone has a place, and kindness makes us stronger together.
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From the Publisher
Welcome to a neighbourhood where everyone is welcome. A neighbourhood where children of every culture play together, sharing food and laughter, and learning from each other’s traditions. A neighbourhood where diversity is a strength.
From the creators of the no.1 New York Times bestselling All Are Welcome comes a triumphant picture book that celebrates diversity, kindness and the power of community. Here, we are ALL neighbours!
I AM WE
by Susan Verde & Peter H. Reynolds
Why we like it
This beautiful companion to I Am Me (which we also recommend for teaching self-compassion) celebrates the magic of connection and the strength we find in community. With lyrical text and Peter H. Reynolds’ warm illustrations, I Am We shows how kindness, friendship and shared action bring us together. This book mirrors our mission of fostering belonging and collective impact. It’s a gentle way to teach children that they are part of something bigger, and that together we can create positive change.
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From the Publisher
Cultivate connection and kindness in author Susan Verde’s and Peter H. Reynolds’s I Am We, a companion to the New York Times bestsellers I Am Human and I Am Love
Connected is what we are:
part of a world-wide community,
diverse and magnificent, kind and accepting, supportive and present.
All of us important, none of us alone.
Sometimes we may wonder, how does caring for ourselves help anyone else? But then we realize that the better we feel inside, the more we can be there for others—our friends, families, and communities. We are part of something bigger than ourselves, and when we each turn our goodness and compassion outward, we can create, learn, and love.
From the New York Times bestselling team behind the I Am series comes a celebration of caring for ourselves AND others with open hearts and minds. Whether it’s listening to a friend, welcoming newcomers with open arms, or standing up against injustice, I Am We shows us what true community looks like—and the amazing things that can happen when we come together.
Inside you’ll also find exercises for building community.
YOU ARE LOVED
by Margaret O’Hair & Sofia Cardoso
Why we like it
You Are Loved is a radiant celebration of belonging and acceptance. With affirming words and joyful illustrations, it reminds readers that every child – no matter their abilities or background – is cherished just as they are. This story echoes our belief in recognising each person’s unique gifts. It beautifully reinforces the idea that kindness and community are built on unconditional acceptance.
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From the Publisher
Families come in many different shapes and forms — but they all teach you how to be strong and show you how loved you are. Alongside a sweet and simple narrative, the warm illustrations tell their own story. Beginning with Sofia Sanchez’s adopted family, readers will meet families with two mums and two dads, families with single parents and kids raised by grandparents, guardians or older siblings. Big families, small families, extended families, blended families and mixed race families — including parents with their own differences that make them unique, too. This heart-warming companion book to 2021’s You Are Enough highlights the important message that families aren’t just the people you live with. They include the people in your school, your community and the people you choose who love you and empower you just the way you are.
