4 min read
Every kid works out they’re different from somebody, usually right after another kid points it out on the playground. The good news: a book can get there first and make “different” sound like the best part of them. These are the ones I reach for when a child feels like the odd one out, ages 3 to 8, starting with the one I wrote after my own son came home stung.
Key Takeaways
- Look for stories where being different turns out to be the point, not the problem.
- Start with the book, not a lecture. Kids tune out a moral they can see coming.
- Works best ages 3 to 8: little ones feel it, older ones catch the idea underneath.
The one I’d start with: Harvey the Hippo
Harvey the Hippo loves ballet, even though hippos aren’t exactly built for it. He keeps losing his balance and landing flat, until Kitty and Dino help him find a way that fits him. I wrote it after my son came home hurt one afternoon. He’d told the boys at school he wanted to be a chef, and they teased him that cooking is “a woman’s job.” So Harvey is really about that. You get to love what you love and do it your own way, no matter who says it isn’t for you.
Six more that get it right
A handful of classics do this beautifully, and they’ve earned their spot on the shelf:
- Elmer by David McKee, the patchwork elephant who tries to blend in, then learns his colors are the best thing about him.
- Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes, a little mouse who adores her name until the other kids make fun of it.
- Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, a fruit bat raised by birds, caught between fitting in and being herself.
- A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni, a chameleon who just wants one color to call his own, and finds a friend instead.
- Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, the odd one out whose strange habits end up saving the whole flock.
- Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, a tiny girl told everything about her is wrong, who stands tall anyway.
How to read them so they actually land
One tip, since it’s easy to get wrong. Resist the urge to explain the moral at the end. Kids feel the wagging finger coming and check out. Just read the story. If your child goes quiet afterward, let them sit in it. That quiet is the book doing its work. And if they want to tell you about the kid at school who’s different, even better. That’s the whole reason you read it.
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FAQ: Children’s Books About Being Different
From the Kitty & Dino bookshelf
Gentle picture books that bring this to life for ages 3–8:
