There's something really inspiring about reading books about characters who go after their goals.
And there's data to back this up: We know from the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report that about half of parents say they want their kids to read books that inspire them to do something good. Kids themselves say the number one type of character that they want to read about is one who they want to be like.
So here are eleven reads that are sure to inspire your kids to dream big:
Dream Big by Joyce Wan
Dream your dreams with your eyes wide open and make them come true. Dream big, little one, the world is waiting for you.
In this dreamy oversized board book, little ones will find the courage and strength to achieve anything they want -- all by dreaming big! With inspiring illustrations of female trailblazers and icons of history and simple, hopeful text, Joyce Wan creates a moving send-off for graduates of all ages. Included in the back is a simple guide to some of the bold dreamers who came before us who followed their dreams . . . and changed the world.
With a tender message of encouragement and hope, this special board book is a gift to be treasured and shared for years to come.
Big Dreams Collection by Peter Reynolds
Our three acclaimed, inspirational, and bestselling books from beloved creator Peter H. Reynolds, now available for the first time ever in one stunning boxed set, and including an exclusive poster.
Packaged in a beautifully designed slipcase, this trio of hardcovers includes:
Happy Dreamer: A joyful reminder to follow our dreams and pursue our own unique path to happiness!
The Word Collector: A celebration of the profound power of words.
Say Something: An empowering message about the ways a single voice can make a difference.
Sweet Dreams, Peppa: A Projecting Storybook
It's time for Peppa and George to go to bed, but they aren't sleepy at all! Mummy and Daddy Pig must tell them a bedtime story about the adventures of a character named Georgie Pig, and then another story about Peppa the Pirate!
This hardcover storybook includes an enclosed projector at the top that projects 20 adorable images to go along with the story as you read.
Princess Truly #1: I Am a Supergirl! by Kelly Greenawalt; illustrated by Amariah Rauscher
Meet Princess Truly! With the help of her rocket boots and her magical, sparkly curls, she becomes a super girl and uses her smarts and strength to save the day. But when her friend Lizzie has a rescue mission of her own, Lizzie doesn't feel so super. Can Truly help her friend believe in herself and find her confidence? These rhyming, funny, and empowering stories with full-color artwork and easy-to-read text throughout are perfect for new readers!
The Baby-sitters Club Graphix #1: Kristy's Great Idea by Ann M. Martin; illustrated by Raina Telgemeier
Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey are best friends and founding members of The Baby-sitters Club. Whatever comes up -- cranky toddlers, huge dogs, scary neighbors, prank calls -- you can count on them to save the day. Baby-sitting isn't always easy, and neither is dealing with strict parents, new families, fashion emergencies, and mysterious secrets. But no matter what, the BSC have what they need most: friendship.
Newsprints by Ru Xu
A gorgeous, provocative debut graphic novel about the power of friendship and finding the courage to be one's true self.
Blue is an orphan who disguises herself as a newsboy. There's a war going on, and girls are expected to help the struggling economy by selling cookies. But Blue loves living and working at the Bugle, the only paper in town that tells the truth. And what's printed in the newspapers now matters more than ever.
But Blue struggles with her secret, and worries that if her friends and adopted family at the Bugle find out that she's a girl, she'll lose everything and everyone she cares about. And when she meets and befriends Crow, a boy who is also not what he seems, together they seek the freedom to be their true selves... and to save each other.
Dreamjumper series by Greg Grunberg and Lucas Turnbloom
Ben's dreams are all nightmares . . . And his nightmares are real!
Ben has a problem. When he sleeps he dreams, and when he dreams, they're all nightmares! But he can also jump into other people's dreams. So when his friends start falling victim to an evil dream-monster that prevents them from waking, Ben knows he has to help them. Easier said than done when dreams can shift and the monster knows his way around the ever-changing landscape of the mind! With help from a talking rabbit-companion who has a mysterious past, Ben might just be able to defeat the monster and save his friends . . . if he can figure out how to use the power within him against his enemies.
Hope #1: Project Middle School by Alyssa Milano and Debbie Rigaud, with illustrations by Eric S. Keyes (on sale 10/15)
Hope is eleven years old, and she wants to be an astrophysicist. She loves swimming, Galaxy Girl comic books, her best friend Sam, and her two rescue dogs.
Hope believes it's always a good day to champion a cause, defend an underdog, and save the future. And most of all, she believes in dreaming big. That's why she's enrolled in all of the advanced classes at her new middle school. She's smart and confident in her abilities. But though Hope seems super strong on the outside, there's another side of her, too. She's just a regular girl trying to survive middle school.
It's the beginning of sixth grade, and Hope's BFF quickly meets a new group of friends in her classes. Hope doesn't know how to handle it. She and Sam have always been inseparable! Things don't go as well for Hope. She embarrasses herself in front of her whole class, and then she gets off on the wrong foot with her new classmate, Camila.
Even science club doesn't go as planned. None of the boys in the club will listen to the girls' ideas, and Hope and Camila get stuck doing the boring part of their science project, even though it was their idea.
But Hope is determined to prove herself to the boys -- even if it means doing a lot of extra work on her own. She knows that sometimes changing the world starts small. So now Hope has a mission! Can she turn the science club into a place that's welcoming for everyone -- and make some new friends along the way?
Hope's relatability, kindness, empathy, and can-do attitude will inspire a generation of do-gooders. This new series is a response to the very palpable feeling that not only can young people save the world -- they will!
Over the Moon by Natalie Lloyd
Twelve-year-old Mallie knows better than to dream. In Coal Top, you live the story you're given: boys toil in the mines and girls work as servants. Mallie can't bear the idea of that kind of life, but her family is counting on her wages to survive.
It wasn't always this way. Before the Dust came, the people of Coal Top could weave starlight into cloth. They'd wear these dreaming clothes to sleep and wake up with the courage to seek adventure . . . or the peace to heal a broken heart. But now nothing can penetrate Coal Top's blanket of sorrow.
So when Mallie is chosen for a dangerous competition in which daring (and ideally, orphaned) children train flying horses, she jumps at the chance. Maybe she'll change her story. Maybe she'll even find the magic she needs to dream again.
But the situation proves even more dangerous when Mallie uncovers a sinister mystery at the heart of Coal Top's struggles -- a mystery some powerful people will do anything to protect.
Child of the Dream by Sharon Robinson
In January 1963, Sharon Robinson turns thirteen the night before George Wallace declares on national television "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever" in his inauguration speech as governor of Alabama. It is the beginning of a year that will change the course of American history.
As the daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, Sharon has opportunities that most people would never dream of experiencing. Her family hosts multiple fund-raisers at their home in Connecticut for the work that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is doing. Sharon sees her first concert after going backstage at the Apollo Theater. And her whole family attends the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
But things don't always feel easy for Sharon. She is one of the only Black children in her wealthy Connecticut neighborhood. Her older brother, Jackie Robinson Jr., is having a hard time trying to live up to his father's famous name, causing some rifts in the family. And Sharon feels isolated-struggling to find her role in the civil rights movement that is taking place across the country.
This is the story of how one girl finds her voice in the fight for justice and equality.
What Would She Do? (25 True Stories of Trailblazing Women)
Covering 25 diverse women from early world leaders to modern day heroes, What Would She Do? is an inspiring and empowering illustrated guide for today's budding young feminists.
From historic world leaders to brilliant scientists, artists, and modern-day pioneers, What Would She Do? shares twenty-five incredible women's stories that educate and empower. Learn about the remarkable achievements and attitudes of feminist trailblazers such as Cleopatra, Amelia Earhart, Malala Yousafzai, Michelle Obama, and other brave women who overcame huge obstacles to accomplish great things.
Featuring stunning illustrations from diverse artists, this beautiful book will inspire young readers and prepare them to face any challenge by simply asking, "What would she do?"
Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance
You might be the kind of person who stands up to online trolls.
Or who marches to protest injustice.
Perhaps you are #DisabledAndCute and dancing around your living room, alive and proud.
Or perhaps you are the trans mentor that you wish you had when you were younger.
Maybe you call out false allies, or stand up to loved ones.
Maybe you speak your truth and drop the mic, or maybe you take it with you when you leave.
This anthology features fictional stories--in poems, prose, and art--that reflect a slice of the varied and limitless ways that readers like you resist every day. Take the Mic's powerful collection of stories features work by literary luminaries and emerging talent alike, including Newbery-winner Jason Reynolds, New York Times bestseller Samira Ahmed, anthologist and contributor Bethany C. Morrow, Darcie Little Badger, Keah Brown, Laura Silverman, L.D. Lewis, Sofia Quintero, Ray Stoeve, Yamile Mendez, and Connie Sun, with cover and interior art by Richie Pope.
