Skip to Main Content

Books for the Purposefull People Character Traits (Sherman): Responsibility

Responsibility

K-2
3-5

Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst; Ray Cruz
Alexander has to learn the hard way the importance of being responsible with his money. He suddenly becomes rich when his grandparents give him a dollar, but slowly his money starts to disappear. Will Alexander learn how to be responsible and save his money to buy a walkie talkie or will he end up spending it all?
But It's Not My Fault by Julia Cook; Anita DuFalla
Noodle is having a tough day at school when nothing seems to be going right. He blames others when he didn’t complete his homework and forgot his library book. Students will read how Noodle learns how to accept Responsibility for his own actions.
Dream Big, Little Pig! by Kristi Yamaguchi; Tim Bowers
Little Pig tries a bunch of stuff, but when she lands on figure skating, will she be able to stay the course? Enjoy Poppy’s story of struggle and success as she learns to skate through the value of Responsibility.
Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
Call Number: E Ste
Little chicken loves tuck-in time because she knows Papa will be telling her a story. She gets so excited, in fact, that she can’t control her urge to interrupt with her predictions about what happens next. Will she find a way to self-regulate so that Papa can get through at least one story? And when it’s her turn to tell the story, will Papa follow suit?

After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back up Again) by Dan Santat
Call Number: E San or Level P DRA 38
In this continuation of the tale of Humpty Dumpty, author Dan Santat tells what happens to Humpty, who is now afraid of heights after his great fall. Will he be able to conquer his fear and position himself high upon the City Wall near the birds that he loves to watch?

I Promise by LeBron James; Nina Mata (Illustrator)
Enjoy this lively and inspiring book that reminds us that tomorrow’s success starts with the promises we make to ourselves and our community today.

Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson
Ms. Bixby is a teacher who makes a difference in all of her students’ lives and provide support when they need it the most. When Topher, Brand, and Steve are told their favorite teacher won’t be able to finish the school year, they make it their quest to ensure she gets the last day she deserves.

Rules by Cynthia Lord
Call Number: F Lor
Catherine feels responsible to teach her autisic brother David rules in order to help him fit in and to make sure she isn’t embarrassed. Rules will make everything better and she will finally have a normal life, right? Should Catherine feel this much Responsibility for David’s behavior? What will happen when she meets two new friends, Jason and Kristi?

Salt in His Shoes by Deloris Jordan; Roslyn M. Jordan; Kadir Nelson
Call Number: B Jor
Michael Jordan just didn’t wake up and find he was an amazing athlete. Instead, he worked hard and was determined to get better. But as a child, he almost gave up his dream until he learned a valuable lesson about patience and perseverance.
Leo the Lightning Bug by Eric Drachman; James Muscarello
Leo is a lightning bug, but then why doesn’t his light work? Work through Leo’s productive struggle with him as he pushes ahead and gains the confidence he needs to set his light aglow.

More Books on Responsibility

K-2
3-5

Snail Mail by Samantha Berger; Julia Patton
Call Number: E Ber
A long, long time ago, before email and texting, the mail was delivered in a much slower way-it was called Snail Mail (because some thought it was delivered by a snail). Although it took much longer, everyone agreed that letters were a little more special when they were delivered by Snail Mail. They might be handwritten. They might include a drawing. They might even contain a surprise inside! One such letter was sent by a Girl to the Boy she loved, and it was up to four special snails to deliver her card across the country. The snails trek across the country-through desert heat and dangerous blizzards, across mountains and plains, through cities and forests-and along the way, they find that taking time to slow down and look around makes the journey all the more beautiful.
Pearl by Molly Idle
Call Number: E Idl
Sometimes the tiniest light can shine the brightest! Like the other mermaids of the deep, Pearl longs to care for the endless beaches, coral reefs, and towering kelp forests of her vast ocean world. So when her mother asks her to tend to a mere grain of sand, Pearl is heartbroken. It takes all her patience and determination to discover how even the littlest mermaid can transform the world.
The Only Fish in the Sea by Philip C. Stead
Call Number: E Ste
Did you hear about little Amy Scott? She got a goldfish for her birthday and then just threw it in the ocean! That doesn't seem right. I guess Sherman and Sadie will have to go save little Ellsworth (every fish deserves a proper name) on their own. They'll need: A boatFishing gearTwenty-one pink balloonsA bucket of paintAndAppropriate headwear in case of weather--good or bad Don't worry. Ellsworth is in good hands now, but what ever happened to little Amy Scott?
Nanette's Baguette by Mo Willems
Call Number: E Wil
It's Nanette's first trip to get the baguette! Is she set? You bet!
You Can Be Responsible by Connie Colwell Miller; Victoria Assanelli
Call Number: E 179.9 Mil
Readers make choices for Margo when she must choose between cleaning her room or putting it off. The story path leads to different consequences while encouraging readers to be responsible.
Yasmin the Teacher by Saadia Faruqi; Hatem Aly
Call Number: E Far
Ms. Alex gets called away and puts Yasmin in charge! Being teacher will be a snap! But when things go wrong, Yasmin must think fast to get the class back on track before Ms. Alex gets back.
Owen at the Park by Scot Ritchie
Call Number: E Rit
Working with his dad in the park, Owen gets to do his favorite job all by himself. First, he clears the park of picnickers, checkers players, sleepy dogs and geese, and then the magic happens ... It's a busy morning in the park. All along the boulevard, families are picnicking and people are napping, playing checkers and reading on the grass. But Owen and his dad are hard at work, raking and mowing the grass. And today, Owen gets to do the best job all on his own. With his dad's encouragement, Owen gathers his courage and goes around to everyone in the park. He tells the families, the checkers players and the readers what he has to do, and they rush off. Finally, when the park is empty, it is the moment Owen has been waiting for. He turns the tap for the sprinkler system, and water cascades over the trees and flower beds.
Being Responsible by Cassie Mayer; Mark Beech
Call Number: E 179 May
Introduces the concept of responsibility and provides examples of responsible behavior.
Being Responsible by Mary Small; Stacey Previn
Call Number: E 179.9 Sma
Explains many different ways that children can be responsible and show responsibility.
My Magical Choices by Becky Cummings
Call Number: E 158.1 Cum
Do your children realize they have one of life's greatest gifts, the ability to make choices that determine how their day will go? No more, "I can't, I don't know, or I'm not!" As you use My Magical Choices to teach your children positive, conscious language, they will choose to be responsible, calm, confident, fun, a good sport, forgiving, generous and more!
Arthur's Pet Business by Marc Brown
Call Number: E Bro
Arthur's determination to prove he is responsible enough to have a puppy brings him a menagerie of animals to care for.
Quickie Goes to the Big Game by Donald Driver; Joe Groshek
Call Number: E Dri
Quickie learns the values of honesty and hard work in another classic children's tale by Packers all-time leading receiver and father of three, Donald Driver.
Big Words for Little People by Jamie Lee Curtis; Laura Cornell
Call Number: E Cor
With grown-up words like cooperate, respect, patience and considerate, a big, boisterous and zany family celebrates the power of language and discovers that words--big or little--are the bridge that connects us all.
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
Call Number: E Hen
"I am the queen!" Lilly loves all sorts of things. She loves school, she loves dressing up, she even grows to love her stinky baby brother, Julius. In fact, Lilly loves everything! But when Lilly brings her purple plastic purse to school and can't wait until sharing time to show off the purse and her movie star sunglasses, her teacher, Mr. Slinger, has to take away her prized possessions. Lilly's fury leads her to draw a mean picture of her favorite teacher. It isn't until Mr. Slinger gives her belongings back to her with a kind note and snacks that Lilly realizes she owes Mr. Slinger an apology.

Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros
Call Number: F Cis
Efrén Nava's Amá is his Superwoman--or Soperwoman, named after the delicious Mexican sopes his mother often prepares. Both Amá and Apá work hard all day to provide for the family, making sure Efrén and his younger siblings Max and Mía feel safe and loved. But Efrén worries about his parents; although he's American-born, his parents are undocumented. His worst nightmare comes true one day when Amá doesn't return from work and is deported across the border to Tijuana, México. Now more than ever, Efrén must channel his inner Soperboy to help take care of and try to reunite his family.
Winner of the Pura Belpre Award
Realistic

Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn
Call Number: F McD
Cat and her brother Chicken have always had a very special bond--Cat is one of the few people who can keep Chicken happy. When he has a "meltdown" she's the one who scratches his back and reads his favorite story. She's the one who knows what Chicken needs. Since their mom has had to work double-hard to keep their family afloat after their father passed away, Cat has been the glue holding her family together. But even the strongest glue sometimes struggles to hold. When a summer trip doesn't go according to plan, Cat and Chicken end up spending three weeks with grandparents they never knew. For the first time in years, Cat has the opportunity to be a kid again, and the journey she takes shows that even the most broken or strained relationships can be healed if people take the time to walk in one another's shoes.

Slacker by Gordon Korman
Call Number: F Kor
Cameron Boxer is very happy to spend his life avoiding homework, hanging out with his friends, and gaming for hours in his basement. It's not too hard for him to get away with it . . . until he gets so caught up in one game that he almost lets his house burn down around him. Oops.It's time for some serious damage control--so Cameron and his friends invent a fake school club that will make it seem like they're doing good deeds instead of slacking off. The problem? Some kids think the club is real--and Cameron is stuck being president.Soon Cameron is part of a mission to save a beaver named Elvis from certain extinction. Along the way, he makes some new friends--and some powerful new enemies. The guy who never cared about anything is now at the center of everything . . . and it's going to take all his slacker skills to win this round.

Mindy Kim and the Birthday Puppy by Lyla Lee; Dung Ho
Call Number: F Lee
All Mindy Kim has ever wanted is a puppy of her very own. After all, having all the toy dog plushies in the world isn't quite the same thing as a real one! She wants a dog to take on walks, teach tricks, and cuddle with. She knows she has what it takes to be the perfect pet owner, and she thinks a dog would be a perfect gift for her upcoming birthday. But her dad isn't so sure she's ready for the big responsibility. Can Mindy prove to her dad that she can handle a new addition to the Kim household?