‘The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners’ and ‘Please Say Please! Penguin’s Guide to Manners’ are great options for young readers. 'Excuse Me! A Little Book of Manners’ is perfect for very young children (aged 1-3). ‘The Golden Rule’ by Ilene Cooper is a fantastic way to encourage kindness from a young age.
Table of Contents
1. “The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners” by Stan and Jan Berenstain
This best seller of the genre provides a practical guide on good manners, as Mama Bear attempts to instill ideas of basic etiquette into her children and husband. With an emphasis on teaching manners and good behavior, this will surely be a favorite book for young readers from preschool to Grade 2.
2. “Please Say Please! Penguin’s Guide to Manners” by Margery Cuyler
‘Please Say Please’ is one of the best books for teaching everyday manners, as it provides an example of someone getting etiquette wrong before demonstrating the correct, polite behavior.
Based around a Penguin attempting to throw a dinner party, Cuyler’s book is populated by a charming cast of adorable animal characters learning their life lessons alongside the reader. Best aimed at kids aged 3 to 5.
3. “Dude, That’s Rude!: (Get Some Manners) (Laugh & Learn®)” by Pamela Espeland and Elizabeth Verdick
‘Dude, That’s Rude’ is a chapter book that offers etiquette lessons for slightly older children (aged 6-11). One of the great aspects of Pamela Espeland and Elizabeth Verdick’s book is that it deals with social media and online etiquette (or e-tiquette, as they call it!) – in today’s world, that is more important than ever!
It splits words into two categories: Power Words (good) and P.U Words (bad), giving kids an easy device to remember their manners with.
4. “Emily Post’s The Guide to Good Manners for Kids” by Cindy Post Senning and Peggy Post
This guidebook, written by the third generation of Post authors addressing good manners, is an all-encompassing guide to polite behavior for young people. Emily Post was a New York socialite famous for her writings about etiquette, and the ‘Guide to Good Manners’ continues that century-old tradition.
A slightly more factual etiquette guide than some of the others on this list, this option is great for kids aged 8-12 who prefer clear, accessible information.
5. “Excuse Me!: A Little Book of Manners” by Karen Katz
Karen Katz’s board book is designed to teach toddlers and preschoolers (aged 1-3) about basic manners and social skills.
Using fun lift-the-flap illustrations, the ‘Little Book of Manners’ can be a great interactive tool for kids and parents to use when learning how to respond to certain situations.
6. “Mind Your Manners, Alice Roosevelt!” by Leslie Kimmelman
This historical fiction kids’ book uses the story of Alice Roosevelt (daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt) as a way to teach proper etiquette. Alice was an independent free spirit in a time when women were supposed to be demure and quiet.
‘Mind Your Manners, Alice Roosevelt!’ manages to walk a difficult line between encouraging the modern sensibilities of its intelligent protagonist and teaching correct behavior in the moments where young Alice goes a little too far. Best for readers aged 4-8.
7. “Rude Cakes” by Rowboat Watkins
‘Rude Cakes’ is a hilarious picture book teaching young children (2-5 years) about manners and kindness. One of the funniest books on this list, it’s a great teaching tool for kids who respond better to humor and fun than to strict rules.
8. “Table Manners” by Chris Raschka
If you’re looking for a picture book that teaches proper manners at the dinner table, look no further than Chris Raschka’s ‘Table Manners.’ Playful, fun, and engaging, it’s a tongue-in-cheek guidebook that answers any questions kids might have about how to behave at dinner time.
9. “The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt
With one of the more exciting concepts of all the books on this list, Drew Daywalt’s ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ is a brilliant introduction to the importance of sharing and cooperation.
Focused on a box of crayons that go on strike, this book (aimed at ages 4-8) teaches teamwork, selflessness, and how to work well with those around you.
10. “The Don’t-Give-Up Kid and Learning Differences” by Jeanne Gehret
This book has quite a specific remit: teaching children understanding, empathy, and kindness towards those with learning difficulties.
Using the tale of a young boy with a different learning style and his hero Thomas Edison, it shows children aged 4-9 that though everybody is different, they still deserve the same respect and understanding.
11. “The Exceptionally, Extraordinarily Ordinary First Day of School” by Albert Lorenz
Albert Lorenz’s book for ages 6-9 is a zany and surreal exploration of first-day nerves. It tells an incredible, hilarious, and exciting story and guides children to be a good kids in school.
12. “The Golden Rule” by Ilene Cooper
‘The Golden Rule’ (featuring a forward by bestselling author John Green) is about teaching kindness.
Using the ‘golden rule’ to treat others as you would like to be treated, this book is less an etiquette guide and more an introduction to radical kindness and how to make the big and scary world feel a little warmer.
13. “The Thank You Book” by Mo Willems
Mo Willems’ picture book teaches children the importance of expressing gratitude and saying thank you. Following best friends Gerald the elephant and Piggie the pig, readers aged 3-6 will learn about how saying thank you is an important part of practicing good manners.
14. “Manners Time” by Elizabeth Verdick
‘Manners Time’ by Elizabeth Verdick is a colorful board book introducing young children to basic manners and social skills. Aimed at the youngest readers (1-3), it’s a fantastic introduction to good manners and social skills, giving a whistle-stop tour of the basics of proper etiquette.
15. “The Magic Word” by Sherrill S. Cannon
‘The Magic Word’ is a rhyming picture book for ages 5-6 that is all about the ‘magic words’ of manners: please, thank you, and excuse me. It follows Elisabeth, a naughty little girl with bad manners, as she learns to be thoughtful to others.
The catchy rhyming and fun illustrations will make this a favorite for children while also teaching them a fantastic message!