Children’s Literature for Teaching Conflict Resolution Skills

An Introduction

Children’s literature provides meaningful, developmentally appropriate opportunities for exploring conflict, emotions, and relationships. The following books are organized by the primary skills and awarenesses they support. Many books address multiple skills and can be used flexibly across contexts. Many titles support multiple areas of development and can be used flexibly across contexts.

Educators can use these books to:

• Introduce specific conflict-resolution skills
• Facilitate classroom discussions
• Model problem-solving strategies
• Create role-play scenarios
• Reinforce social-emotional learning concepts

Children’s literature is such a wealth of wisdom. These suggestions just scratch the surface. Through intentional use of children’s literature, we can create meaningful opportunities for children to explore conflict, practice empathy, and develop the skills needed to build positive and respectful relationships.

Understanding Emotions and Emotional Regulation

• When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang
  • Focus: Recognizing and managing strong emotions
  • Use: Helps children understand anger and explore calming strategies
• The Way I Feel by Janan Cain
  • Focus: Emotional vocabulary
  • Use: Supports children in identifying and labeling feelings
• Today I Feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis
  • Focus: Changing emotions
  • Use: Reinforces that emotions are normal and temporary
• A Little Spot of Emotion Series by Diane Alber
  • Focus: Emotional awareness and self-regulation
  • Use: Teaches specific emotions and coping tools
• Calm-Down Time by Elizabeth Verdick
  • Focus: Self-regulation strategies
  • Use: Provides concrete calming techniques
• Painting the Fire by Jonathan Sherwood
  • Focus: Positive expression of anger
  • Use: Encourages acknowledgement of feelings and safe expression
• My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss
  • Focus: Exploring different emotional moods
  • Use: Helping children see that it’s normal to experience different moods for a day

Perspective-Taking and Empathy

• Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
  • Focus: Changing perceptions, empathy
  • Use: Helps children rethink assumptions about others
• What Was I Scared of? By Dr. Seuss
  • Focus: Fear of people who are different
  • Use: To show that underneath, no matter how different, we experience the same emotions
• Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
  • Focus: Empathy, missed opportunities
  • Use: Encourages reflection on how actions affect others
• Hey, Little Ant by Phillip & Hannah Hoose
  • Focus: Perspective-taking
  • Use: Invites children to consider another point of view
• Walk in My Shoes by Alwyn Evans
  • Focus: Understanding others’ experiences
  • Use: Builds empathy and awareness of differences

Communication Skills (Listening, Expressing Feelings)

• Talk and Work It Out by Cheri J. Meiners
  • Focus: Problem-solving communication
  • Use: Teaches children to use words to resolve conflicts
• I Can Listen by Cheri J. Meiners
  • Focus: Active listening
  • Use: Reinforces the importance of hearing other
• My Mouth Is a Volcano! by Julia Cook
  • Focus: Interrupting, self-control
  • Use: Teaches conversational self-regulation
• Voices Are Not for Yelling by Elizabeth Verdick
  • Focus: Tone and communication
  • Use: Helps children express themselves appropriately

Problem-Solving and Conflict Resolution

• The Zax by Dr. Seuss
  • Focus: Rigidity, escalation
  • Use: Demonstrates the consequences of inflexibility
• The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss
  • Focus: Escalation, conflict cycles
  • Use: Explores how conflicts grow when both sides try to “win”
• George and Martha: The Complete Stories by James Marshall
  • Focus: Friendship and problem-solving
  • Use: Shows everyday conflict resolution between friends
• What Should Danny Do? by Adir Levy
  • Focus: Decision-making
  • Use: Interactive story showing consequences of choices

Sharing, Fairness, and Cooperation

• Llama Llama Time to Share by Anna Dewdney
  • Focus: Sharing and fairness
  • Use: Addresses common classroom conflicts
• Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems
  • Focus: Decision-making and sharing
  • Use: Explores internal conflict and generosity
• It’s Mine! by Leo Lionni
  • Focus: Cooperation vs. selfishness
  • Use: Illustrates consequences of not sharing
• The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
  • Focus: Sharing and belonging
  • Use: Encourages generosity and community

Managing Anger and Aggression

• Don’t Pop Your Cork on Mondays! By Adolph Moser
  • Focus: How stress leads to anger and aggression
  • Use: Helps children understand the Amygdala hijack and how to regain control
• Hands Are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi
  • Focus: Alternatives to aggression
  • Use: Teaches appropriate behavior
• Teeth Are Not for Biting by Elizabeth Verdick
  • Focus: Impulse control
  • Use: Helps young children manage physical reactions
• No, David! by David Shannon
  • Focus: Impulse control and limits
  • Use: Opens discussion about behavior and consequences

Inclusion, Respect, and Social Awareness

• The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
  • Focus: The dynamics of classism
  • Use: Helps children understand the dynamics of privilege and prejudice 
• Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
  • Focus: Sexism and racism
  • Use: Helps children see that the qualification for something shouldn’t be determined by sex or race
• Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andrede
  • Focus: Physical differences don’t have to limit your potential
  • Use: Helps children to trust their hidden talents and demonstrates the power of encouragement
• Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco
  • Focus: Moving story of acceptance and grace
  • Use: Helps children see the benefits of embracing people who are different
• Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud
  • Focus: Kindness and emotional impact
  • Use: Encourages positive social behavior
• We’re All Wonders by R. J. Palacio
  • Focus: Inclusion and acceptance
  • Use: Promotes understanding of differences
• Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
  • Focus: Inclusion and belonging
  • Use: Encourages welcoming others

Understanding Conflict Escalation and De-escalation

• The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill
  • Focus: Power dynamics and bullying
  • Use: Shows how conflict can change through empathy
• Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
  • Focus: Teasing and emotional impact
  • Use: Helps children understand social conflict
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
  • Focus: Persistence and boundaries
  • Use: Great for discussing negotiation and limits