Be Kind: Children’s Books That Teach Kindness and Anti-Bullying

By Charlotte Carus | Posted: 7th November 2022 | Updated: 11th February 2026

Kindness is the golden thread that connects us all. It's the gentle act of making someone smile, the courage to stand up for what’s right, and the joy of sharing with others. For children, kindness is more than just being nice—it’s a superpower that can transform their world and the lives of those around them.

This Collection of books curated by LoveReading4Kids celebrates the many forms of kindness, from helping a friend in need to showing compassion for animals and the environment. Through exciting adventures, heartwarming tales, and relatable characters, these books teach children how small acts of kindness can spark big changes.

Each book is a stepping stone, guiding young readers to understand empathy, generosity, and the power of love. Together, let’s inspire children to build a kinder, brighter future—one page at a time.

Anti-Bullying Week and World Kindness Day

Anti-Bullying Week and World Kindness Day are annual events which take place in November, and encourage us to spread the message of kindness and tolerance.

When and what’s happening in 2025?

Anti-Bullying Week runs Monday 10th to Friday 14th November 2025. The Anti-Bullying Alliance has a full programme of events and activities for the week, and the theme is Power for Good, recognising that each one of us has power in our own way, and we can choose to use it positively. In November 2022, 80% of schools marked the week, reaching over 7.5 million children and young people. That’s a big impact!

Why “Power for Good”?

The theme comes from consultation with children and educators, who asked for something that emphasises action, not passivity. This year isn’t just about naming bullying, it’s about showing what we can do to change it.

Bullying often involves power dynamics. We all can choose to use our power—voice, presence, influence, kindness—for good: to speak up, support others, discourage negativity, and create inclusive spaces.

Oxford Children's Word of the Year 2024 was Kindness

61% of children surveyed by the prestigious publisher Oxford University Press (OUP) chose Kindness as their word of the year. OUP’s research published on 22nd January 2025, which surveyed opinions from over 6,000 children aged 6-14 years across the UK, revealed mental health to be a reason for some children selecting kindness, with teachers also citing a growing awareness among young people of the wider impact of kindness on mental wellbeing. Numerous references to global violence and current conflicts further emphasised how attuned children are to current affairs; with words such as ‘need’ and ‘should’ frequently used in their responses.

Several children mentioned learning about kindness at school or at home (e.g. Kindness is one of my school values and it is our family word), while others noted: At the moment with all the conflict and the issues the world faces, kindness is a good way to go.

There are some great resources for these events, written by teachers, suitable for children in both Primary and Secondary Schools, at www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

And for information on the growing problem of cyberbullying, how it can affect kids and adults, and the ensuing mental health-related problems, visit www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/cyber-bullying-statistics.

World Kindness Day is an internationally recognised shared event introduced by the World Kindness Movement in 1998 to highlight, unite and promote good deeds within the community and in day to day life.

There are many ways to take part and schools and community groups across the country will be holding special events including making kindness cards and encouraging random acts of kindness. In the past Kindness UK has handed out 10,000 free chocolate bars at London Train stations and encouraged a Text Wave that swept through the country.
You can find out what's planned for this year at kindnessuk.com and perhaps plan your own act of kindness!

LoveReading4Kids' Selection of Children's Books Featuring Kindness

Scroll down for a selection of books that tackle both the theme of bullying and also stories about kindness and kind acts, plus we have also a large collection of books that focus on Friends & Friendships.