20 Books that Promote Kindness

Every classroom and every grade level could use more kindness. So when I asked a group of my fellow English teachers to share their favorite fiction AND nonfiction books on Instagram, they quickly delivered.

This list varies greatly in difficulty and ideal grade level - middle school, high school, or both - but they have one important theme in common.

Click on the Instagram name of each person to read the recommender's book talk.



#1: Fish in a Tree

Recommended by @secondarysara. Link to Amazon. 

#2: Bronx Masquerade

Recommended by @nouvelle_ela. Link to Amazon. 

#3: That Summer

Recommended by @elaclassroom. Link to Amazon. 

#4: Rules

Recommended by @erinbeers. Link to Amazon. 

#5: Nowhere Boy

Recommended by @elaeveryday. Link to Amazon. 

#6: Just Mercy

Recommended by @readingandwritinghaven. Link to Amazon. 

#7: The Book Thief

Recommended by @ebcamps. Link to Amazon. 

#8: Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

Recommended by @hansonhallway. Link to Amazon. 

#9: Orbiting Jupiter

Recommended by @theliterarymaven. Link to Amazon. 

#10: Wishtree

Recommended by @mrsorman. Link to Amazon.

#11: The View from Saturday

Recommended by @mrsspanglerinthemiddle. Link to Amazon. 

#12: Stargirl

Recommended by @2peasandadog. Link to Amazon. 

#13: We Are All Made of Molecules

Recommended by @addiewilliams_tpt. Link to Amazon. 

#14: I'll Give You the Sun

Recommended by @theclassroomsparrow. Link to Amazon. 

#15: Full Cicada Moon

Recommended by @literarysherri. Link to Amazon. 

#16: Freak the Mighty

Recommended by @elabuffet. Link to Amazon. 

#17: Turtles All the Way Down

Recommended by @nowsparkcreativity. Link to Amazon. 

#18: Pay it Forward

Recommended by @studyallknight. Link to Amazon. 

#19: Dear Evan Hansen

Recommended by @toocoolformiddleschool. Link to Amazon. 

#20: Torment: A Novella

Recommended by @yacafepodcast. Link to Amazon. 

Do you have additional suggestions? 

Tell us in the comments!