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Character strengths are visible all around us — but they truly come to life in books. A picture book about a child who keeps trying after failing is a lesson in perseverance. A novel about someone who stands up for a friend is a lesson in bravery and kindness. Stories give students a memorable way to see character in action, talk about it, and imagine how they might respond in their own lives.
That is why we created this book list. Sortable by grade level and character strength, it is designed to help teachers, school counselors, and families find the right read for any classroom or any moment. Whether you are introducing gratitude to a kindergarten class or exploring leadership with high schoolers, you will find titles here that spark meaningful conversations. We hope you enjoy it!
Do you know of a great book that we should add to our list? Click the button below and let us know.
Looking for inspiration on how to use these books? At Schickler Elementary in Lapeer, Michigan, the whole school gathers each month for P2 Reading Assemblies built around a single story — and every book is chosen to spotlight a specific character strength, like teamwork, integrity, or gratitude. As Learning Coach Amy Duncan shares, these assemblies do double duty: they model expressive, fluent reading, anchor rich new vocabulary to a character’s actions, and build a common language for character across all 340 students. It is a powerful example of how one well-chosen book can strengthen both literacy and character for an entire community.
Reading and character education are natural partners. When students meet characters who wrestle with honesty, forgiveness, or self-regulation, they build empathy and language for their own experiences. Research in positive psychology — the foundation of The Positivity Project’s approach — shows that people grow their character strengths through reflection and practice. A well-chosen book offers both. It gives a class a shared story to return to, and it opens the door to the kind of discussion that helps the Other People Mindset take root. It reminds students of a simple truth at the heart of our work: other people matter.
Every book on this list is tagged so you can find what you need quickly. Sort by grade level to match titles to your readers, from Pre-K picture books to young-adult novels. Sort by character strength to align a read-aloud or mentor text with the strength you are focused on that week — whether it is curiosity, teamwork, optimism, or any of the 24 character strengths that P2 schools explore throughout the year. Those strengths fall under six broad virtues — wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence — giving you a rich range of texts for every unit.
Many of our partner schools weave these books directly into their literacy instruction. A teacher might launch a reading unit with one of these titles on Monday, return to it during the week’s comprehension and vocabulary work, and close with a short writing prompt that asks students to connect the character’s choices to their own. Families can extend the learning at home — reading together and asking simple questions like, “Which character strength did you see today?”
Some partner schools have found a creative way to celebrate positive behavior: the book vending machine. Instead of snacks, these machines dispense stories. Schools like Sargent Elementary, Maplewood Elementary, and Hagan Elementary use book vending machines to reward students who demonstrate their strengths throughout the week, turning a moment of good character into a brand-new book to take home.
At Spackenkill School District, it is one more way character strengths are reinforced beyond the classroom. When a student is noticed using the shared language of the 24 character strengths, that moment is recognized in real time with a coin for their book vending machine. It is simple, yet effective — and a great way to encourage even more reading. Does your school have a book vending machine?
This list grows because of educators like you. Do you know a great book that belongs here? We would love to hear about it. Click the button below to share your recommendation, and you may see your title added here.
“The Positivity Project has been an absolute game-changer in terms of helping build a culture not just for students but really for the professionals in the building, to give them an opportunity to work with one another, build relationships, talk to each other, to get to know each other in an authentic way. That's changed my school. It changed the middle school and lifted it into a place where we used P2 not just as a program, but really the lens through which we saw all of the work that we did in our school building.”
“Our discipline and behavior referrals have declined significantly over the past three years. Words Matter and OPM have shifted Oraze's culture toward kindness.”
It is incredible that the reps from P2 meet with the implementers at the school level and not just me, the district rep. We have a district of 44 schools, so the personalized support is appreciated beyond words.
“I find Positivity Project a game-changer primarily because it shifts character education from a vague concept to a concrete, daily habit that can be seen and felt throughout my entire building.”
“The Positivity Project is definitely something that I think every parent would want in their household. At the dinner table, in the morning on the way to school, just to repeat those things, to talk about them so it becomes a part of their life and their decision-making.”
“I can honestly say I have never felt so good about a character education program in my teaching career. I can actually see this program working every day. Each week that we touch on new strengths, we are all reminded of our potential to be better human beings. We have truly seen a transformation in our program since we began using The Positivity Project.”
“One of the most amazing things I've ever seen in my 25 years in education is what The Positivity Project did for our school and our students and our staff and our community. I can't say enough about the impact, the positive impact it has had for our educators and our students.”
“It is as simple as turning on your computer, putting up that slide deck, and having a conversation with students.”
“From day one, new people, they could not make this easier on you. If you want, you can literally read the script that day. It is so beautifully done for you. It's minimal work.”
“If you're looking for a meaningful way to build character, boost achievement, and create a school-wide sense of pride and ownership, I can say confidently: The Positivity Project works.”
“Without P2, our campus would likely be a place where adults settle conflicts, and behavior is handled through discipline alone. What we have instead is a campus where students lead.”
P2 gives us an intentional resource and approach that ties together many district-wide initiatives, such as Safety, Restorative Practices, Core Behavior Supports, and Wellness Screeners. These initiatives are meant to create a positive culture and climate, and P2 gives us a resource to help bring all of that together.