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By Kim Vij

Grateful Hearts: Inspiring Children’s Books About Gratitude and Thankfulness

Gratitude Books for Kids

Explore these adorable children’s books about gratitude that show kids what it means to be thankful.

Teaching children gratitude can shape their outlook on life, fostering appreciation and empathy from an early age. These inspiring children’s books introduce young readers to the joy of grateful hearts, helping them see the beauty in everyday moments and the kindness around them.

Gratitude Books for Kids
  • Gratitude Books for Kids
  • Ways to Teach Kids About Gratitude
  • What’s the difference between Gratitude and Thankfulness?
  • Gratitude Activities for Kids

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Books About Gratitude

This book list is all about helping kids explore the power of gratitude and thankfulness! Filled with heartwarming stories and relatable characters, each book introduces young readers to the joy of appreciating the world around them—from family and friends to simple everyday moments.

These stories encourage children to recognize the kindness in others, reflect on what makes them feel thankful, and build a mindset of positivity and empathy.

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Here are the best books focused on gratitude for your storytime:

  • ABC Thankful Me by Kyaw Lin
  • A Sense of Gratitude: Exploring the Five Senses by Halimah Bashir
  • A Very Thankful Prayer: A Fall Poem of Blessings and Gratitude by Bonnie Rickner Jensen
  • A World of Gratitude by Claire Saunders
  • Apple Cake: A Gratitude by Dawn Casey
  • Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
  • Being Thankful by Mercer Mayer
  • Curious George Says Thank You by H. A. Rey
  • Finding Grateful by Dianne White
  • God Gave Us Thankful Hearts by Lisa Tawn Bergren
  • Gracias – Thanks by Pat Mora
  • Gratitude is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego
  • Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud
  • I Am Thankful by Sheri Wall
  • Namaste Is a Greeting by Suma Subramaniam
  • Otis Gives Thanks by Loren Long
  • Splat Says Thank You! (Splat the Cat) by Rob Scotton
  • Thanks A Lot (Raffi Songs to Read) by Raffi
  • Thanks a Million by Nikki Grimes
  • Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
  • Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora
  • Thank You for the Little Things by Caryl Hart
  • Thankful by Eileen Spinelli
  • Thankful by Elaine Vickers
  • The Fig Tree: A Lesson in Gratitude by Heather Lonczak
  • The Giving Snowman by Julia Zheng
  • The Gratitude Jar by Katrina Liu
  • The Grumbles: A Story about Gratitude by Tricia Goyer and Amy Parker
  • The Thankful Book by Todd Parr
  • The Thank You Book by Mary Lyn Ray
  • The Thank You Letter by Jane Cabrera
  • The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be by Joanna Gaines
  • The World Needs the Wonder You See by Joanna Gaines (Jan 2025)
  • We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell
  • When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L.B. Deenihan
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Gratitude Books for Kids

Perfect for family reading time, these books offer meaningful lessons in gratitude that will stay with kids for years to come. Which gratitude book will you read first?

I Am Thankful by Sheri Wall
Gratitude is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego
My Heart Fills with Happiness by Monique Gray Smith

I Am Thankful: A Thanksgiving Book for Kids by Sheri Wall (Listen to Read Aloud)

Gratitude is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego (Listen to Read Aloud)

I’m So Glad You Were Born: Celebrating Who You Are by Ainsley Earhardt (Listen to Read aloud)

My Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray Smith (Listen to Read Aloud)

A World of Gratitude by Claire Saunders
Finding Grateful by Dianne White
The Gratitude Jar by Katrina Liu

A World of Gratitude by Claire Saunders

Finding Grateful by Dianne White

The Gratitude Jar by Katrina Liu

When Grandma Gives You A Lemon Tree
The Thank You Letter by Jane Cabrera
the Thank You Book by Mary Lyn Ray

When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L.B. Deenihan

The Thank You Letter by Jane Cabrera

The Thank You Book by Mary Lyn Ray

Who You Were Made to Be by Joanna Gaines
Thank you for Little Things by Caryl Hart
Thankful by Elaine Vickers

The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be by Joanna Gaines

Thank You for the Little Things by Caryl Hart

Thankful by Elaine Vickers

Apple Cake by Dawn Casey
Thanks a Million by Nikki Grimes
A Sense of Gratitude by Halimah Bashir

Apple Cake: A Gratitude by Dawn Casey

Thanks a Million by Nikki Grimes

A Sense of Gratitude: Exploring the Five Senses by Halimah Bashir

the Giving Snowman by Julia Zheng
Splat Says Thank you! by Rob Scotton
The Fig Tree by Heather s. Lonczak

The Giving Snowman by Julia Zheng

The Giving Snowman by Julia Zheng

The Fig Tree: A Lesson in Gratitude by Heather Lonczak

Gracies - Thanks by Pat Mora
Thankful by Eileen Spinelli
A Very Thankful Prayer by Bonnie Rickner Jensen

Gracias – Thanks by Pat Mora

Thankful by Eileen Spinelli

A Very Thankful Prayer: A Fall Poem of Blessings and Gratitude by Bonnie Rickner Jensen

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
The Thankful Book by Todd Parr
Llama Llama Gives Thanks by Anna Dewdney

Bear Says Thanks  by Karma Wilson (Watch Read Aloud)

The Thankful Book by Todd Parr (Listen to Read Aloud)

Llama Llama Gives Thanks by Anna Dewdney (Listen to Read Aloud)

Thank You Omu! by Oge Mora
Otis Gives Thanks by Loren Long
Curious George Says Thank You by Margret and H.A. Rey's

Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora

Otis Gives Thanks by Loren Long

Curious George Says Thank You by H. A. Rey

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud
ABC Thankful Me by Kyaw Lin
Thanks a Lot by Raffi

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud

ABC Thankful Me by Kyaw Lin

Thanks A Lot (Raffi Songs to Read) by Raffi

The Wonder You See by Joanna Gaines
Being Thankful by Mercer Mayer
Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco

The World Needs the Wonder You See by Joanna Gaines (Jan 2025)

Being Thankful by Mercer Mayer

Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco

You may also find this heartwarming collection of Kindness books helpful too!

Gratitude Prompts and Journal for Kids
DOWNLOAD GRATITUDE JOURNAL

Ways to Teach Kids About Gratitude

Here are a few simple ways to help kids learn about gratitude:

Model Gratitude: Let children hear you say “thank you” and express appreciation regularly. They’ll learn from your example and see how gratitude can be part of everyday life.

Gratitude Journal or Jar: Encourage kids to write down or draw something they’re thankful for each day and put it in a jar or gratitude journal. It’s a fun, visual way to reflect on all the good things in their lives.

Thank You Notes: Show kids how to write or create thank-you cards for friends, family, or teachers. This small act can help them think about the kindnesses they’ve received.

Bedtime Reflections: Make it a habit to ask each other about a highlight of the day before bed. Sharing something positive reinforces a thankful mindset.

Acts of Kindness: Help children connect gratitude with giving by doing small acts of kindness, like helping a neighbor or donating toys. They’ll experience how good it feels to show appreciation through actions.

Gratitude Walks: Take a stroll on a nature walk and point out things you’re grateful for in nature—like sunshine, trees, or animals. Noticing the world around them builds an appreciation for little things.

These small practices can make gratitude a fun, natural part of their lives!

What’s the difference between Gratitude and Thankfulness?

Have you ever wondered about the difference between gratitude and thankfulness? They’re closely related but have slightly different meanings.

  • Thankfulness is often more immediate and situational. It’s an expression of thanks in response to something specific, like someone doing a kind deed or giving you a gift. It’s a reaction to a particular action or circumstance that makes you feel appreciative in that moment.
  • Gratitude, on the other hand, is more of an ongoing, deep-seated attitude or mindset. It encompasses a broader sense of appreciation that goes beyond individual events, often tied to an overall feeling of thankfulness for life, relationships, health, and experiences. Gratitude can also be cultivated through regular reflection, whereas thankfulness often arises naturally in response to a specific event.

In short, think of thankfulness as a momentary response and gratitude as a sustained state of appreciation that can shape how we view our lives and interact with others.

Try these thankful project ideas to continue focusing on gratitude with your child.

Random Acts of Kindness For Kids includes printable calendar
Teaching Gratitude at Home with Kids
The Best Children's Books about Kindness

Gratitude Activities for Kids

Take the 30 Day Gratitude Challenge!

Work on household chores and create a new way of Teaching Gratitude at Home with Your Child.

Decorate the house with this easy DIY Thankful Banner Idea for Kids.

Download this Random Acts of Kindness Calendar for kids and spread kindness and gratitude.

Create a Magnetic Thankful Tree to display in your home for Thanksgiving.

Here is a set of Kindness Elves Free Printables to inspire your family for a celebration of kindness and giving to others.

You may also enjoy these activities…

the Ultimate List of Books Activities for Kids!
Gratitude Prompts for Kids including Gratitude Journal Prompts
Virtual Book Club for Kids Book List 2024-2025

Like this idea? Pin for later or share now with a friend!

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Filed Under: Reading Tagged With: Book List, grade school, Gratitude, Kindness, Preschool, Random Acts of Kindness, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving

About Kim Vij

Early childhood teacher, author, speaker and mom of 3. Kim shares ways to make learning fun and parenting an adventure by sharing developmentally appropriate activities.

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