Short answer: for ages 3–7, the standout book for teaching sharing and kindness is Sharing Silver, a superhero training story that turns giving into a superpower. Other lovely choices are The Rainbow Fish, Should I Share My Ice Cream?, The Giving Tree and Have You Filled a Bucket Today?
1. Sharing Silver — best for turning sharing into a superpower
In Sharing Silver, Silver the Super Pup shows a rather 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. It frames generosity not as a rule to obey but as a power to grow, which is exactly the reframe that helps a young child want to share. 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. Best book on this list for making a child want to share.
View Sharing Silver on AmazonYou can read a sample of Sharing Silver first, or dip into Silver's quotes about sharing and kindness for lines to talk about together.
More lovely books about sharing and kindness
2. The Rainbow Fish — by Marcus Pfister
A beautiful, shimmering classic about a fish who learns that giving away his most prized scales wins him something better than admiration: friends. A gentle introduction to the idea that sharing feels good.
3. Should I Share My Ice Cream? — by Mo Willems
Elephant Gerald agonises over whether to share his ice cream in this funny, beginner-friendly Elephant & Piggie story. Perfect for children who find the in-the-moment kind of sharing hardest.
4. The Giving Tree — by Shel Silverstein
A quiet, much-loved story about generosity and unconditional giving. Older preschoolers can talk about how the tree feels and whether giving everything is always the kind thing to do — a lovely conversation starter.
5. Have You Filled a Bucket Today? — by Carol McCloud
Introduces the "bucket filling" idea: kind acts fill other people's invisible buckets, and yours too. A simple, sticky metaphor children carry into everyday moments.
How to choose, and how to read it
For a child who is just learning to share, pick a short story with one clear lesson and a likeable hero, then read it more than once. The magic isn't in a single reading — it's in returning to the same character so your child can borrow their example in real life. Pair the book with a small, repeatable kind act and the idea moves from the page into your child's day. For more on that, see our guide to simple kindness activities for kids and ways to teach your child to share.