Read Aloud Books for Kids from Smart Kidz Club

Kindness Books for Kids

Kindness is easier to practice when children have seen it in a story first. These books show kids helping, sharing, standing up for each other, and making friends, just in time for World Kindness Day on November 13 and Anti-Bullying Week, November 16 to 20.

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Start here: The Circle of Help

Our lead pick for World Kindness Day and Anti-Bullying Week. A whole town, connected by kindness.

The Circle of Help cover
Audio BookThe Circle of Help by Sippi S.

The Circle of Help

Ages: 9 to 11 years, 7 to 9 years | Grade: Grade 4 | Level 4 - Advanced Readers | Audio Book | 18 pages, 1790 words, about 18 minutes

A chain of selfless acts across a small town shows how giving back comes full circle and how people create a harmonious community by supporting one another. The audio edition runs 18 minutes, and the hearable edition lets your child listen with no screen at all.

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Also available as hearable book

Kindness in action

Stories where a kind choice changes the day, for someone else and for the child who makes it.

The Old Man Who Made Cherry Trees Blossom cover
Read Along BookThe Old Man Who Made Cherry Trees Blossom by Smart Kidz Club

The Old Man Who Made Cherry Trees Blossom

Ages: 7 to 9 years, 5 to 7 years | Grade: Grade 3 | Level 3 - Intermediate Readers | Read Along Book | 13 pages, 575 words, about 6 minutes

A kind old man whose love for his dog, Pochi, leads to wonderful miracles, even when a jealous neighbor causes trouble. Proof that kindness always blossoms in the end. 6 minutes.

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The Old Man In The Dream cover
Read Along BookThe Old Man In The Dream by Suyash Singh

The Old Man In The Dream

Ages: 5 to 7 years, 3 to 5 years, 7 to 9 years | Grade: Grade 2 | Level 3 - Intermediate Readers | Read Along Book | 7 pages, 230 words, about 2 minutes

A short folktale with a real lesson inside it: sometimes the kindest choice is not joining in. Gentle discussion material for older kids in this band.

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Also available as hearable book

Delilah Saves the Village of Lumpidoo cover
Read Along BookDelilah Saves the Village of Lumpidoo by Lydia Light

Delilah Saves the Village of Lumpidoo

Ages: 7 to 9 years, 5 to 7 years | Grade: Grade 2 | Level 3 - Intermediate Readers | Read Along Book | 10 pages, 920 words, about 9 minutes

Delilah the ladybug discovers she is perfect just the way she is. A story about self-acceptance. 9 minutes.

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The Case of the Disappearing Lunch Box cover
Read Along BookThe Case of the Disappearing Lunch Box by Lydia Light

The Case of the Disappearing Lunch Box

Ages: 7 to 9 years, 5 to 7 years | Grade: Grade 2 | Level 3 - Intermediate Readers | Read Along Book | 10 pages, 845 words, about 7 minutes

Isabelle plays a silly prank on her friend, but things go horribly wrong. She learns that telling the truth is always the best solution. 7 minutes.

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Brave Alex and the Not-So-Scary Teacher cover
Read Along BookBrave Alex and the Not-So-Scary Teacher by Sippi S.

Brave Alex and the Not-So-Scary Teacher

Ages: 5 to 7 years, 3 to 5 years | Grade: Grade 1 | Level 2 - Easy Readers | Read Along Book | 17 pages, 825 words, about 8 minutes

Alex, a curious and nervous kindergarten student, learns not to judge people based on rumors. A strong Anti-Bullying Week pick. 8 minutes.

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The Grateful Crane cover
Read Along BookThe Grateful Crane by Smart Kidz Club

The Grateful Crane

Ages: 7 to 9 years, 5 to 7 years | Grade: Grade 3 | Level 3 - Intermediate Readers | Read Along Book | 13 pages, 620 words, about 5 minutes

A heartwarming Japanese folktale about kindness, gratitude, trust, and secrets. When an old man rescues a crane trapped in the snow, an unexpected visitor arrives with a gift that changes their lives. 5 minutes.

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The Squire at Twilight cover
Read Along BookThe Squire at Twilight by Smart Kidz Club

The Squire at Twilight

Ages: 5 to 7 years, 7 to 9 years | Grade: Grade 2 | Level 2 - Easy Readers | Read Along Book | 26 pages, 1000 words, about 10 minutes

A young squire, a quiet castle evening, and a mystery at the gate. Proof that decodable does not have to mean babyish.

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The Busy Buzz Team, Bees cover
Read Along BookThe Busy Buzz Team, Bees by Smart Kidz Club

The Busy Buzz Team, Bees

Ages: 5 to 7 years, 3 to 5 years | Grade: Grade 1 | Level 2 - Easy Readers | Read Along Book | 9 pages, 470 words, about 5 minutes

Zimble and Zazz are two fuzzy honeybees with a very important job, and they show the whole hive that making honey works best when everyone sticks together. A teamwork story with a memory game at the end.

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Making and keeping friends

Stories about new friends, old friends, shy friends, and friends who are different from us.

The Friend Magnet cover
Read Along BookThe Friend Magnet by Sippi S.

The Friend Magnet

Ages: 5 to 7 years, 3 to 5 years | Grade: Grade 1 | Level 2 - Easy Readers | Read Along Book | 14 pages, 730 words, about 7 minutes

Scarlett, a shy little girl, learns the power of giving compliments and uses it to overcome her shyness and make friends. 7 minutes.

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Rolling Wheels of Friendship cover
Read Along BookRolling Wheels of Friendship by Smart Kidz Club

Rolling Wheels of Friendship

Ages: 5 to 7 years, 7 to 9 years | Grade: Grade 2 | Level 2 - Easy Readers | Read Along Book | 19 pages, 1465 words, about 14 minutes

Olivia, Mia, Jamal, Alex, and Sophie spend a day of alphabet games and playground adventures, learning to embrace each other's differences, including Olivia's wheelchair. A strong read for conversations about empathy and inclusion.

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A New Friend cover
Read Along BookA New Friend by Smart Kidz Club

A New Friend

Ages: 5 to 7 years, 7 to 9 years | Grade: Grade 2 | Level 2 - Easy Readers | Read Along Book | 26 pages, 685 words, about 6 minutes

Summer fun, birthday cake, and a brand-new friend. Will the new kid fit in with the crew before school starts? 6 minutes.

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New Friends in Hawaii cover
Read Along BookNew Friends in Hawaii by Smart Kidz Club

New Friends in Hawaii

Ages: 7 to 9 years, 5 to 7 years | Grade: Grade 3 | Level 3 - Intermediate Readers | Read Along Book | 13 pages, 880 words, about 8 minutes

Kofi and Effia, twins from Ghana, start a new life in Hawaii, where swimming with sea turtles and meeting a stingray turn every day into an adventure. 8 minutes.

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Pippa's Puppy, Patch cover
Read Along BookPippa's Puppy, Patch by Honor Head

Pippa's Puppy, Patch

Ages: 5 to 7 years | Grade: Grade 1 | Level 2 - Easy Readers | Read Along Book | 11 pages, 485 words, about 4 minutes

Patch the puppy is scared of the outdoors, and helping a friend find her lost teddy teaches him to be brave. The catalog calls it ideal for bedtime reading, and it is a kind one for nervous or anxious children.

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Also available as hearable book

Sam's New Dog cover
Read Along BookSam's New Dog by Sippi S.

Sam's New Dog

Ages: 5 to 7 years, 3 to 5 years | Grade: Grade 1 | Level 2 - Easy Readers | Read Along Book | 10 pages, 140 words, about 2 minutes

A simple, happy story about a boy and his new dog, written for beginner readers who want to follow the words as they listen.

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Also available as hearable book

The Reading Bear cover
Read Along BookThe Reading Bear by Sippi S.

The Reading Bear

Ages: 7 to 9 years, 5 to 7 years | Grade: Grade 2 | Level 3 - Intermediate Readers | Read Along Book | 8 pages, 420 words, about 5 minutes

Ben the bear loves books but does not like to read alone. See how he finds friends to read together. 5 minutes.

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Duke the Good Dog cover
Read Along BookDuke the Good Dog by Smart Kidz Club

Duke the Good Dog

Ages: 5 to 7 years | Grade: Grade 1 | Level 2 - Easy Readers | Read Along Book | 17 pages, 210 words, about 4 minutes

Lane sings a sweet song about his brave dog, Duke, who saved Jake just in time. A story about quick thinking and friendship.

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Mike and Miles cover
Read Along BookMike and Miles by Smart Kidz Club

Mike and Miles

Ages: 5 to 7 years | Grade: Grade 1 | Level 2 - Easy Readers | Read Along Book | 17 pages, 155 words, about 3 minutes

Mike is ready for a bike ride, and with his friend Miles and a game of hide-and-seek, the ride turns into more fun than he imagined.

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For Anti-Bullying Week, November 16 to 20

Four books that open the conversation directly: Brave Alex and the Not-So-Scary Teacher (do not judge people based on rumors), Rolling Wheels of Friendship (inclusion and empathy), The Friend Magnet (compliments beat shyness), and The Case of the Disappearing Lunch Box (telling the truth after a prank). Read one, then ask your child what they would do in the same spot.

Questions parents ask us

When is World Kindness Day?

November 13. It is a day to practice kindness on purpose, and this list is built for the week around it, including Anti-Bullying Week, November 16 to 20.

Which book is best for a shy child?

The Friend Magnet. Scarlett learns that giving compliments helps her overcome shyness and make friends. It is a gentle, practical story for ages 5 to 7.

Can we listen without a screen?

Yes. The Circle of Help comes as a hearable edition, audio only, with nothing on the screen. Downloaded books also work offline.

What ages are these books for?

The list spans ages 3 to 11. Each card shows its ages, grade, and reading level, so you can pick for your child, not for an average.

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