Best Children's Books About Sharing and Kindness for Kids (Ages 3–7)

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1. Sharing Silver — best overall pick (ages 3–7) ⭐ Top Pick

In Sharing Silver, Silver the Super Pup shows a greedy dog named Bandit how kindness and sharing always come back around — through Olivia's music, Benny's waterwheel and a whole forest that gives back to those who give. The book frames generosity not as a rule to obey but as a power to grow, which is exactly the shift that helps a young child want to share rather than resist it. Read it before a playdate and you have a shortcut for the whole day: "what would Silver do?"

“The world is like a mirror. It reflects back what you give.”

Sharing Silver — a superhero training story about sharing and giving, for ages 3–7. Our top pick for making a child want to share.

View Sharing Silver on Amazon

You can read a sample of Sharing Silver first, or browse Silver's quotes about sharing and kindness for lines to talk about together.

2. The Rainbow Fish — by Marcus Pfister (ages 3–6)

A shimmering classic about a fish who learns that sharing his most prized scales wins him something better than admiration: real friendship. The physical beauty of the book — foil scales you can feel — makes it a sensory experience as well as a lesson. A very gentle first introduction to the idea that sharing feels good. View The Rainbow Fish on Amazon →

3. Should I Share My Ice Cream? — by Mo Willems (ages 3–6)

Elephant Gerald agonises over whether to share his ice cream with Piggie in this funny, easy-to-read Elephant & Piggie story — and learns a relatable lesson about the cost of hesitating. Perfect for children who find the in-the-moment decision to share the hardest part. The humour makes it very re-readable. View Should I Share My Ice Cream? on Amazon →

4. Llama Llama Shares — by Anna Dewdney (ages 2–5)

The best choice for the youngest children on this list. Little Llama doesn't want to share his toys at a playdate — a very relatable problem — and the story walks gently through the tension and resolution in language toddlers and young preschoolers understand. Simple, warm and practical. View Llama Llama Shares on Amazon →

5. Be Kind — by Pat Zietlow Miller (ages 4–8)

A quiet, thoughtful story that asks what kindness actually looks like in everyday moments — from including a classmate who is different, to picking up a dropped crayon, to just noticing someone who looks sad. The illustrations by Jen Hill are warm and specific. Great for starting a real conversation about what it means to be kind rather than just saying it. View Be Kind on Amazon →

6. Enemy Pie — by Derek Munson (ages 4–7)

A little boy has a sworn enemy — until his dad suggests making him Enemy Pie, which requires spending a whole day with the enemy first. By the end the enemy has become a best friend. A funny, original story about how getting to know someone is the surest way to turn a rival into a friend. A great one for children navigating tricky playground dynamics. View Enemy Pie on Amazon →

7. The Recess Queen — by Alexis O'Neill (ages 4–7)

Mean Jean is the undisputed Recess Queen — until a new girl named Katie Sue doesn't know the rules and accidentally asks Jean to play. A story about how one small act of genuine kindness can change everything. The rhyming text gives it a great read-aloud rhythm, and children who have witnessed playground unkindness find it deeply satisfying. View The Recess Queen on Amazon →

8. Have You Filled a Bucket Today? — by Carol McCloud (ages 4–8)

Introduces the "bucket-filling" idea: kind acts fill other people's invisible buckets (and yours too), while unkind acts dip into them. It's a simple, sticky metaphor that children carry into everyday moments long after a single reading. Many schools use this as a shared language for kindness — worth having at home to reinforce it. View Have You Filled a Bucket Today? on Amazon →

9. Strictly No Elephants — by Lisa Mantchev (ages 3–6)

A boy with a pet elephant is excluded from the local pet club — so he starts a new one where every unusual pet is welcome. A lovely story about inclusion, standing up for friends who are different, and the kind of friendship that doesn't ask you to be something you're not. The elephant is completely adorable. View Strictly No Elephants on Amazon →

10. Last Stop on Market Street — by Matt de la Peña (ages 4–8)

CJ rides the bus with his grandma after church and asks why they don't have a car, why they don't have the things other kids have — and Nana finds the beauty in everything they see along the way. A Newbery Medal winner and Caldecott Honor book, it teaches gratitude, empathy and community service in a way that feels completely natural rather than instructive. Best suited to children aged 5 and up who can hold a quieter, more reflective story. View Last Stop on Market Street on Amazon →

11. The Giving Tree — by Shel Silverstein (ages 4–8)

A quiet, much-loved story about generosity and unconditional love. The tree gives everything it has to the boy it loves. Older preschoolers can start to ask whether giving everything is always the kind thing to do — a conversation that grows richer as children grow. A classic that most parents already know, worth reading fresh with a child who is old enough to sit with the bittersweet ending. View The Giving Tree on Amazon →

12. Each Kindness — by Jacqueline Woodson (ages 5–8)

Chloe and her classmates never include the new girl Maya — and then Maya moves away before Chloe gets the chance to make it right. A Newbery Honor author's quiet, powerful story about a small act of unkindness and the ripples of regret that follow. Unusual on this list because it doesn't have a happy resolution, which is precisely what makes it so memorable and real. Best for children aged 5 and up who can handle a story that doesn't end neatly. View Each Kindness on Amazon →

Quick comparison: at a glance

Use this table to find the right book for your child's age and what you want to teach.

How to choose the right book

The best book is the one that matches both your child's age and the moment you're in. For a toddler just learning what sharing means, start with Llama Llama Shares or The Rainbow Fish — short text, clear pictures, a very simple lesson. For a preschooler who resists sharing, Sharing Silver and Should I Share My Ice Cream? work well because the hero faces the same pull your child feels. For a school-age child dealing with a tricky social situation, Enemy Pie, The Recess Queen or Be Kind name the exact feelings they're navigating.

However you choose, re-read it. The magic isn't in a single reading — it's in returning to the same character until your child borrows them in real life: "remember what Silver did?" or "you could be the Katie Sue here." Pair the story with a small, repeatable kind act and the lesson moves from the page into your child's day. For more on that, see our guide to simple kindness activities for kids, ways to teach your child to share, and our guide on handling sibling rivalry — because that's usually where the sharing battles happen first.