I love children’s books that share an inspirational message. While Little Bookworm appreciates the cheerful stories and illustrations, I enjoy the emotional pull of the stories. Some of these have brought a tear to my eye, and they have definitely been helpful on days when we are down. I hope you enjoy these inspirational books for kids, and share them with your children. They also make great graduation gifts for little ones!

Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post. I received copies of these books in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

You are Fantastic!

Written by Sabrina Moyle and illustrated by Eunice Moyle

This colorful board book uses short motivational statements and vibrantly colored cartoon illustrations to tell readers how great they are. The text uses alliteration and funny wordplay that will be sure to make kids laugh, while the sweet illustrations feature smiling animals that they will love.

Little Happy Dreamer

Written by Peter H. Reynolds

This inspirational book celebrates the big dreams of little dreamers. The text follows a young kid who shares about all the different ways he dreams. The illustrations highlight the different kind of dreams he has with bright colors, bold zig zags and swirls, and large fonts.

Related Post: Inspiring Books for Kids

Rain Before Rainbows

Written by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and illustrated by David Litchfield

This beautifully illustrated book follows a young girl and her fox friend as they face storms and difficult terrains on their way to a brighter tomorrow. The simple rhyming text is descriptive and uses short sentences, making it easy to read. The gorgeous illustrations are full of deep colors and imaginative scenes, taking the reader from the dark past to the bright future.

The Power of Yet

Written by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

This story follows an adorable little piglet who gets frustrated that he isn’t able to do everything “yet”. The illustrations show him trying all kinds of things and failing, while being told “not yet”. He asks his teacher how to get to “yet”, and she shows him all of the struggles he will face on the way to “yet”. The inspirational text reminds kids that they will try and fail many times before reaching a goal, and young readers will be drawn to the adorable illustrations of the cute little pig.

There is a Rainbow

Written by Theresa Trinder and illustrated by Grant Snider

This colorful book reminds the reader that something bright comes after something dark. The simple text uses a repeating format, using the phrase “on the other side of…” over and over to show that there is always something around the corner. The illustrations use colorful pencil strokes to fill the book with hope and positivity. The back of the book shares a note from the author about her inspiration and the COVID pandemic.

I am Human

Written by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

This beautiful book reminds the reader of all the things that we can do as humans. The short inspirational phrases share how humans are always growing and learning, and how they can make mistakes and be afraid, but still chase their dreams. The simple illustrations are peaceful and calming, blending realistic and imaginative scenarios.

Related Post: I Am Love

Free to Be Elephant Me

Written by Giles Andreae and illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees

This book from the creators of Giraffes Can’t Dance follows a young elephant as he competes in the Elephant Games to impress King Elephant Mighty and get an elephant name. But Num-Num isn’t good at the normal tricks, and he leaves, eventually finding his own strengths away from the elephants. The rhyming text shows how Num-Num learns to appreciate his own strengths, and the illustrations feature a cast of adorable animal characters.

Llama-glamarama

Written by Simon James Green and illustrated by Garry Parsons

Larry is a llama who loves to dance. He tries to hide his dancing from the other llamas, but when he gets caught, he decides to run away. Along the way, he discovers the Llama Glamarama where llamas and other animals blast their music and dance together. When he finally goes back and tells his friends, he learns that they were hiding things about themselves too. Together they all learn to be themselves.

Related Post: Empowering Books for Kids

All We Need

Written by Kathy Wolff and illustrated by Margaux Meganck

This soothing book celebrates all the small things in our daily lives. The poetic text hints at simple necessities that we need to have in our lives, before stating them outright. The colorful illustrations feature a diverse cast of people of varying ages enjoying the smallest moments. Parents and kids alike will appreciate the soothing reminder of all the things we have to be grateful for, and will be inspired by it.

The Little Things

Written by Christian Trimmer and illustrated by Kaylani Juanita

After a big storm, a young girl finds thousands of sea stars washed up onshore. She starts tossing them back into the ocean. When an old man asks what she is doing, she tells him that she is saving them. Her act of kindness shows him that the tiniest actions can make a difference, and he starts a chain reaction of kind acts. The book introduces the concept that every small action can make a big difference, and the illustrations show how kindness can ripple and make people smile.

Related Post: Children’s Books about Acts of Kindness

You are Enough

Written by Margaret O’Hair and illustrated by Sofia Cardoso

This adorable book was inspired by Sofia Sanchez, a young actress with Down Syndrome. The book starts with a letter from Sofia, sharing details about her life, her interests, and her struggles. The rest of the book shares inspirational words about being different, finding friends who accept you for who you are, and learning to love yourself. Kids will love the brightly colored illustrations that highlight emotions and scenarios that they will recognize.

Kind

Written by Alison Green and illustrated by 38 illustrators

In this beautiful book, the inspirational words about kindness are accompanied by illustrations created by 38 artists from around the world. Throughout the book, the text explores easy ways to show kindness, inspiring young ones to share kindness with others. The colorful illustrations use different styles to show people and animals being kind. The beginning of the book includes a small bio about each illustrator featured in the book, while the back of the book includes information about Three Peas charity.

What are your favorite inspirational books for kids? Share in the comments below!

More Posts You May Enjoy: