Top 10 All About Me Books for Preschoolers & Kindergarteners
Our youngest students are learning so much about themselves and others right now, and these All About Me books are a fantastic way to support them in that process!
The titles below will help them see what makes them special and also what they have in common with others. They’re perfect for building healthy self-esteem and classroom community at the same time!
10 Best All About Me Books for Preschoolers
When teaching All About Me books, I like to start with physical, tangible traits that kids can observe as they are cognitively easier to grasp. Kids can easily tell that their hair color is different from that of others, but it is more challenging to understand personality or cultural differences. If you move from concrete to abstract, your students will have an easier time following along.
There’s Only One You by Kathryn Heling
I love using this book to introduce this series because it really highlights what’s most important: that we are all unique individuals who deserve to be loved for exactly who we are. It highlights how our differences make us special and the imagery represents a variety of different skin colors, physical abilities, and other differences that our students may experience.
Eyes, Nose, Belly, Toes by Krupa Bhojani Playforth MD
There are lots of kids’ books about bodies out there, but not all of them are written by doctors! I love how playful this one is. Invite the kids to act out the movements in this book to get some wiggles out at the same time!
Skin Like Mine by Latashia Perry
This picture book introduces the topic of skin color in a very positive and affirming way, highlighting that every color is beautiful. It includes a range of skin colors to ensure that all of your students will see themselves on the page.
What I Like About Me! by Allia Zobel Nolan
To focus on building positive self-esteem, this title highlights lots of little things kids may like about themselves, like their sense of humor, physical traits, skills and abilities, and more. By the end of the book, everyone will be able to find at least one thing they like about themselves!
My Name is a Story by Ashanti
I always make a point to read lots of children’s books about names because they are incredibly important. Our names reflect where we come from, and saying your students’ names correctly is such an easy way to make your classroom more inclusive and welcoming.
In this story, a little girl named Ashanti is frustrated with her hard-to-pronounce name. She learns how to spell it by assigning something she likes or a positive trait to each letter. By the end, she loves her name and the story it tells!
This book ties in perfectly with teaching acrostics and would be a fantastic choice for the first week of school. Plus, it will help them learn how to spell their names, too!
When I Was Little by Jamie Lee Curtis
My favorite thing about this book is that it highlights how much your kids have grown and changed even in their young lives. What were they like when they were babies or toddlers? What can they do now that they couldn’t before? It’s also a great way to bolster their confidence as they enter the classroom for the first time and help them see they aren’t little kids anymore!
I Feel by Cheri Meiners
Managing emotions can be a big job in the younger grades! Our kids are still learning to recognize and name their emotions, let alone regulate them. That’s where this book comes in. It includes very clear depictions of emotions that help kids recognize what sadness, happiness, and anger look like. It is an essential book for any preschool classroom and can really help them start the process of becoming emotionally aware.
My Brain is Magic by Prasha Sooful
This sweet book is about different ways of thinking and is particularly well-suited for neurodiverse students. Does your brain buzz around like a bee or roar like a lion? Does it want you to move and touch all the time or stay calm and still? This is an underrepresented topic in children’s literature, and this book addresses it in a positive, understanding, and uplifting way. It’s also a wonderful way to help all students think about how their brains work.
The Reflection in Me by Marc Colagiovanni
Although we focus a lot on physical, observable differences, it’s so important to talk about those inner values and traits. This book digs in deep and draws out the things that matter most, like being joyful, loving, kind, and creative. It is impressively deep while still being easy to read and understand.
We’re Different, We’re the Same by Bobbi Kates
This Sesame Street book does several things very well. First, it covers a wide range of physical differences, like how we all have different skin colors, muscles and bones inside our bodies, and even many of the same emotions. But it also really beautifully portrays how we need lots of different types of people, just like the rainbow needs many different colors. It’s such a beautiful way to address a complex topic in a kid-friendly way!
These All About Me books tie in perfectly with these low-prep name crafts and my all about me printable for the summer games. How do you like to incorporate them in your classroom? Feel free to share your ideas in the comments below!
Other Books I Considered
It was hard to pick just ten books! If you’re still looking for the perfect All About Me stories for your class, here are ten more titles we considered for this book list.
- Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
- I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
- I Am Enough by Grace Byers
- I Am More Than by LeBron James
- I Am Amazing! by Alissa Holder and Zulekha Holder-Young
- Who I Am: Words I Tell Myself by Susan Verde
- I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont
- It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr
- Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
- Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
