10 Books About Generosity for the Season of Giving

By
Staff of Anne Arundel County Public Library
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Thanksgiving is the perfect time to start conversations with your child about how to share what they have with others, how they can be grateful for others’ generosity and what it means to give. What better way to introduce the topic than with a good book?

Preschool

Photo of an orange book cover with an illustration of a white rabbit holding on to two carrots lovingly. The carrots form a heart. A white bubble above the rabbit reads "Give It!" in large black text, above smaller black text that reads "Cinders McLeod."
Courtesy of Penguins Young Readers Group.

“Give It!: A Moneybunny Book”
By Cinders McLeod
Chummy wants to use his birthday carrots to become a superhero and save the world, but with Gran’s help, he learns he does not need a cape to make a difference.

Photo of a book cover that features an illustration of four multiracial kids sharing various objects with each other. Text above and below the children reads "How We Share."
Courtesy of Tiger Tales.

“How We Share”
By Leah Osakwe
Let’s share sunny smiles! Explore what it means to share. From playtime and laughter to giving advice, this book shows the value of generosity.

Photo of a book cover from the point of view of the inside of a large pot. Through a circular opening, four people's faces are visible and they are throwing gray stones into the pot. Red serif text at the top reads "Stone Soup," and smaller red text at the bottom reads "Jon J Muth."
Courtesy of Scholastic Press.

“Stone Soup”
By Jon J. Muth
Three wise monks trick a poor, frightened community into finding happiness by teaching them the magic of generosity.

Elementary School

Photo of a book cover that shows an illustration of two young girls. The one dressed in a yellow jacket with a pink bow in her hair is putting a red scarf around the other girl's neck. The girl with the scarf is wearing a light blue T-shirt and two hairclips shaped like daisies. The title, "Give," is written in large blue letters at the top, under the authors' names, Jen Arena and Rahele Jomepour Bell.
Courtesy of Knopf Books for Young Readers.

“Give”
By Jen Arena
A group of kids learn about the act of giving all kinds of things, from scarves to a hug.

Photo of a light blue book cover with a red spine featuring drawings of four people and food and produce floating in the air. One person is peeling potatoes, a young boy is holding a loaf of bread above his head, another is tasting soup out of a steaming pot and another is holding a cane in one hand and stirring food in a bowl. Black serif text at the top reads "Our Little Kitchen."
Courtesy of Harry N. Abrams.

“Our Little Kitchen”
By Jillian Tamaki
A crew of resourceful neighbors comes together to prepare a meal for their community. This book includes a recipe and an author’s note about the volunteering experience that inspired the story.

Photo of a book cover with an illustration of various community members gathered outside. One is holding a recycled plastic bag and another is holding up a sign that says "Vote." Others are holding boxes or a yellow piece of paper. Large blue letters at the top read "Just Help!"
Courtesy of Philomel Books.

“Just Help!: How to Build a Better World”
By Sonia Sotomayor
In a story inspired by her own family’s desire to help others, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor takes young readers on a journey through a neighborhood where kids and adults, activists and bus drivers, friends and strangers, all help one another to
build a better world for themselves and their community.

Middle School

Photo of a book cover that reads "25 Fun Things to Do for Your Neighbors." There is a photo of an orange cat eating out of a red bowl, a black and white French bulldog eating, a piece of iced carrot cake, a stack of books and a yellow and white soccer ball. The cover is orange at the top and the color fades into white.
Courtesy of Lerner Publishing Group.

“25 Fun Things to Do for Your Neighbors”
By Paul Mason
Engage with the people in your community through 25 activities and projects designed to get you out into your neighborhood. Clean a neighbor’s car, walk a dog, organize a block party, clean up the trash and more. Discover great ways to make new friends and give back.

Photo of a book cover of a drawing of a woman with curly brown hair in a ponytail and large glasses inside an orange drawing of a house. The girl is holding a paint roller and has some orange paint smeared on her blue T-shirt. Large block letters above the illustration read "The Lucky Poor."
Courtesy of Iron Circus Comics.

“The Lucky Poor”
By Mazie Lovie
A graphic memoir about the author’s experiences as a young person when her family was awarded a new house built for them by Habitat for Humanity, including their struggles with poverty and work to build and maintain the home

High School

Photo of a light blue book cover with embroidered details, such as a spool of navy blue thread, a blue whisk, a red pincushion, an embroidered red megaphone, a blue shirt that says "BLM" in white letters, pink and red quilt patches that form a heart, a white sewing machine, a yellow hammer, a light blue bucket of blue paint and red scissors cutting out a paper drawing of a red star. In the center, blue block letters read "Crafting Change," above red text that reads "Handmade Activism, Past and Present."
Courtesy of Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.

“Crafting Change: Handmade Activism Past and Present”
By Jessica Vitkus
An energetic, informative and inspiring exploration of craftivism—the intersection of art and activism—throughout American history, with particular focus on the present day

Photo of a book cover that depicts green grass and a house right on the edge of a crag. Large white text reads "The House in the Cerulean Sea." At the bottom, blue letters read "TJ Klune." A yellow vertical banner on the right says the book is a New York Times and USA Today Bestseller.
Courtesy of Tor Publishing Group.

“The House in the Cerulean Sea”
By TJ Klune
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At 40, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a case worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management, he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment.

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