Kids Books About Idealism

Idealists believe they can make the world a better place and they work hard to make it happen. They focus their efforts to follow their ideals and they really live to make their dreams a reality.

Different people can have different beliefs about what would make the world a better place. Different people also have different strengths and abilities to bring about their ideal. My husband, for example, might believe that the world would be a better place if we didn’t have to use horrible buggy software that gets hacked all the time. He has dedicated his working life to making that dream a reality. I believe that the world would be a better place if we had tighter in-person communities and I spend a lot of my time connecting with people, and connecting people with other people by organizing events, hosting parties, and inviting people into my real life.

What about you? What do you think the world needs to be better? Can you provide it? Or learn how to provide it?

Here are some stories I read with my kids this year featuring idealistic characters.

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

I am so lucky to have travelled in Newfoundland when the lupins have been in bloom in late June/early July. We visited the town of Trinity in a beautiful bloom and it reminded me so much of Miss Rumphius.

Miss Rumphius is an idealist who believes she can leave the world a more beautiful place through planting lupines. This is a lovely story and one of my favourites!

“Mr. MacNally’s Hat” in Alfie: The Big Alfie and Annie Rose Storybook

In Mr. MacNally’s Hat, Alfie wants to help a friend and believes he knows the best way to help but learns that others can use help in different ways.

Stone Soup by Marcia Brown

Stone Soup is a classic of children’s literature. There is so much to talk about in this book. In this story, soldiers believe they can bring the community together in a feast through making stone soup.

Grandfather Ghandi by Arun Ghandi and Bethany Hegedus

When I think of a real life idealist, I think of people like Mahatma Gandhi, and Mother Theresa. This is a story about conquering one’s anger in order to achieve great things and is written by the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.

I hope these stories help you explore idealism with your children. Which ideals do you hold as a family? What things do you believe make the world a better place and what actions are you taking to bring that to reality?

I hope you’re having a happy summer,

-Heather

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