Without trying to, humans make uninformed decisions about things and places and people every day. Our preconceived notions are often not based in fact but rather assumptions based on hearsay, limited observation, or misunderstandings. Kids do this too. We all do. I love children’s books that make us think about ourselves, the world, and how we see them world. The awesome books below do just that. That are great conversation starters. These picture books help us think about and talk about preconceived notions and how things and people are often not quite what we assume at first.

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The Wall in the Middle of This Book

This new book by Jon Agee is a great one to start off with because it is great for reading aloud, brilliant, and yet silly enough to gently start a conversation about what really is a tough topic. The premise of this book is simple. There is a wall in the middle of the book. A knight is on one side. A group of animals and an ogre are on the other. The knight is bold and confident and convinced that his side is the safest side and the wall is protecting him from all of the terrible dangers on the other side of the book…only that isn’t quite the case. I love the way the illustrations help to tell the story. My kids eyes were literally bugging out of their head as they watched the “safe” side of the wall get invaded by water and a crocodile and all manner of things that threaten the knight. The brief, effective text is perfect for reading aloud to a group (or just a snuggly kid or two on your lap) and the illustrations have a gentle, fairy tale like quality that make what could be scary only slightly alarming. You can watch a book trailer on YOUTUBE. and Order A Copy online.

7 More Books about Preconceived Notions

I rarely think just one book is enough. Here are a few more truly excellent books about preconceived notions of various kinds. These are all timeless, wonderful stories I’m proud to own on our shelves.

1. They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel

This book is genius in it’s simplicity and originality. It’s one of those “everyone should read this book” and also a great one for conversation, writing prompts, whatever you want. Promise me you’ll read it. Find Online

2. Flashlight by Lizi Boyd

There are a lot of afraid of the dark books, but I love this one. The illustrations are so lovely and make the contrast between dark and light fun, intriguing, and no longer scary. A very concrete way to discuss preconceived notions. Find Online

3. Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

This one is about preconceived notions of yourself. Leonardo thinks in order to be a monster he must behave a certain way. This is such a sweet book for so many reasons but gosh the character of Leonardo is one of my favorites. Find Online

4. The Story of Ferndinand by Munro Leaf Drawings by Robert Lawson

I feel like this movie got missed a little in the whirl of annual releases, but I was SO excited when they made the Story of Ferdinand into an animated movie and I thought it was completely delightful. The tale of Ferdinand has been around since the 1930s but it’s one that I think absolutely stands up and I’m glad another generation was encouraged to discover Ferdinand’s story. The bull who likes flowers more than fighting. For obvious reasons, the characters in this book make assumptions about Ferdinand because he is a bull. It is a book about being true to yourself, but also not assuming things about people (or animals) just because they look a certain way. Find Online

5. Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson illustrated by Jane Chapman

The genius of this first Bear book (well one of the genius parts because it’s amazing in a lot of ways) is that everyone reading it assumes that when the bear wakes up he will be less than thrilled that everyone is in his cave. Bears are big and scary and cranky….right? Unlike a lot of books on this list it isn’t the characters in the story making false assumptions but YOU the reader who has a preconceived notion. Your mistake is what makes the climax of this story so completely fabulous and why kids want to read it again and again. So, read it. Discuss those assumptions. And then read it again. Find Online

6. The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson illustrated by Rafael Lopez

This book came out in Fall 2018 and immediately sparked attention for it’s gorgeous illustrations and important message. The line “There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you.” says it all. We have all been in situations where we don’t look like everyone else or we don’t think we fit in, but when we open our mouths and ears and start sharing about ourselves we realize that we have more in common than we think. This one is a little about preconceived notions but more about how to move on past them. Find Online

7. The New Neighbors by Sarah McIntyre

What will an apartment building bursting with animals think when rats move in downstairs? I love how this book plays with the ideas of misconceptions and gossip in a romping format. As the animals tumble downstairs to meet those new neighbors their excitement and concerns grow. Without imposing judgement or preaching lessons, McIntyre shares a playful story your kids will want to read again and again that encourages conversation about assumptions. The illustrations are full of humor and spunk, while the writing offers energy and character. A great book to read aloud. Find Online

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