Books like Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners
By Laurie Keller
For the kid who's about to meet a new neighbor, classmate, or friend and isn't sure how to act — this book hands them the simplest rule there is. Playful, reassuring, a little silly, with the warmth of good advice from a wise friend.
A witch and her cat fly happily on a broomstick until the wind blows away her hat, bow, and wand — and the animals who return them all want a ride, leaving no room to spare when a hungry dragon attacks.
A hungry lion chases a different animal every day of the week — until a family of ten fat rabbits teaches him to make carrot stew instead of eating them.
Less talking, more watching. Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton makes the kindest character the quiet one, same as Mr. Owl's calm advice wins the day.
Same warmth about treating others right, but Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson makes the lesson about hugs and asking first.
Funnier and a bit older-feeling, Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin still lands on the same note: a new friend makes everything less scary.
A rhetorical-question guide to good manners drops young readers into absurd scenarios — bumping into a crocodile downtown, meeting a baby elephant, eating spaghetti with the Queen — asking each time, what do you say, dear?
A cow, a donkey, a sheep, a pig, and a tiny mouse — good friends all — climb into a boat for a row in the bay, and the boat tips more precariously with each one who climbs aboard.
An old man and his fine cat are so hot and bored they'll try anything — so when their neighbor Mrs. Teaberry suggests a sightseeing boat cruise, they climb aboard, only to run into trouble with her mischievous dog Zeke.
A bird wakes up too grumpy to fly, eat, or play, so he stomps off on a walk instead — and one by one, Sheep, Rabbit, Raccoon, Beaver, and Fox tag along.
A boy declares Jeremy Ross his enemy the moment he moves in down the street, so Dad offers his secret weapon: Enemy Pie — but the recipe requires spending a whole day playing with the enemy first.
A small shaggy dog sets off for a walk through town, picking up one furry friend after another, until the whole gang runs smack into Scarface Claw, the toughest cat around, and must race home.
Skip the manners entirely. Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas is pure rhyme game, with one bunny's wrong answers doing all the work of saving everyone.
