Whether it’s fighting over classroom materials or having a misunderstanding in the playground, conflicts between students are bound to happen. 

Apologizing and forgiving others is not always easy for children — even for adults — but teaching your students how to acknowledge wrongdoings, apologize, and express forgiveness will be key to their social and emotional development.

“A teacher can help students learn how to care about their classmates’ feelings. Teachers can be role models who can show their students the importance and impact of empathy,” says Maria Martin, a first-grade teacher in Florida. 

Children’s books about forgiveness are one way you can bridge conversations with your students about admitting mistakes, exercising empathy, and forging strong relationships with others. Equipping children with these skills early on is one of the first steps to supporting their mental health and wellbeing. 

Here are some of our top picks for books about forgiveness. 

Picture Books About Forgiveness 

Picture books about forgiveness are powerful tools for teaching young kids important social skills, like showing empathy and kindness. Through helpful illustrations and simple text, picture books paint real-life scenarios that encourage kids to show compassion and forgive others who have hurt them. 

These books about forgiveness feature charming characters, such as dinosaurs and pandas, who provide heartfelt examples of choosing compassion over ego. These titles are also a great way to facilitate conversations on how to manage challenging situations in and out of the classroom. 

For instance, How Do Dinosaurs Play With Their Friends? is a sweet story that offers strategies on how to share and play nice with others. This brilliantly illustrated board book is packed with playful rhymes that will captivate young readers while helping them develop reading skills and phonemic awareness.

In Rita & Ralph's Rotten Day, Rita and her best friend Ralph have a falling out over a game that goes awry. This story dives into how these two best friends learn to navigate disagreements and mend their friendship. It also teaches students about how to handle complicated emotions, such as frustration and anger. 

Lastly, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse is a captivating read about admitting mistakes and taking responsibility for our own actions. Martin often uses this book with her own students to teach them that our behavior is a result of our emotions, feelings, and thoughts.

Shop our book recommendations on stories about forgiveness and apologizing below! You can find all books and activities at the Teacher Store.