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30 Picture Books about Patience and Perseverance

Explore picture books to prompt discussions about patience. The books highlight restraint, patience, endurance and how things are worth waiting for.

Books about Patience in the Classroom

We all know young children struggle with patience! You will no doubt see some children who are naturally more patient than others. I am sure you see this with adults you know! Model self-control with these picture books, with characters who show self-control, an important life skill.

People with patience:

are tolerant of others
wait calmly
keep calm in extreme situations
control their temper
show humility
don’t rush from one task to another
have contentment
focus on tasks, completing them at their own pace
show empathy to others
are reflective

These picture books highlight restraint, patience, endurance and how things are worth waiting for.

Books about Patience and Perseverance

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat

A dragon wants his bedtime story again and again. When his mother falls asleep during the fourth reading the dragon cannot control his emotions and burns a hole through the back of the book! Promotes manners, self-management and emotions.

Again! by Emily Gravett

A dragon wants his bedtime story again and again. When his mother falls asleep during the fourth reading the dragon cannot control his emotions and burns a hole through the back of the book! Promotes manners, self-management and emotions.

The Almost Terrible Playdate by Richard Torrey

When two children have a playdate they cannot agree on what to play. Chaos ensues when they argue over playing princesses, ponies, and ballet vs. dinosaurs, dragons, and race cars. Promotes sharing, cooperation, patience, and generosity.v

And then it’s Spring by Julie Fogliano

A boy plants seeds in the brown earth of winter. As the seasons change he checks on the seeds and waits. The boy’s patience is rewarded when he sees green shoots and the colour of spring all around him.

Bear Has a Story to Tell by Philip C. Stead

Bear wanders around the forest asking other animals if they would like to hear his story, but they are all getting ready to hibernate. As snowflakes fall, Bear goes to sleep. In the spring the Bear’s friends gather around and he finally gets to tell his story.

Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed

Bilal worries what his friends will think when they help him and his father cook a tradition Daal dish. Use to discuss cultural differences, patience, community, making connections and asking questions.

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

Liam’s curiosity leads him to explore an elevated train track. He discovers dying flowers and begins to nurture them. His dedication pays off when the flowers grow and start spreading over the city. Promotes the environment, patience and a sense of community.

The Dog That Ate the World by Sandra Dieckmann

The animals live in harmony until a dog’s insatiable hunger turns their community upside down. He consumes mountains, trees, plants and drank the lake dry. The animals try to restore the peace but are swallowed too. When the dog consumes the world around him the animals are freed.

The Extraordinary Gardener by Sam Boughton

Using his favourite book as inspiration, Joe plants a garden in his grey world. With a bit of patience, a garden with exotic plants and animals grows on his balcony and inspires the rest of the community. Promotes a growth mindset, enthusiasm and perseverance.

Florette by Anna Walker

Mae loves gardening at her home in the countryside. When her family moves to an apartment in the concrete jungle of Paris, Mae feels lonely and longs for her garden. Through her adaptability, patience and perseverance, she creates her own green oasis in the city.

Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild! by Mem Fox

Harriet has a series of naughty mishaps that tests her mother’s patience. But Harriet and her mum know that they love each other no matter what. Promotes forgiveness, self-management and manners.

I’ll Wait, Mr Panda by Steve Antony

When Mr Panda makes his friends wait to see what he is cooking they all complain. Except penguin who says he will wait even if it is not easy. His impatient friends leave and penguin’s patience is rewarded with a huge doughnut. Promotes manners, patience, and thoughtfulness.

It’s a Book by Lane Smith

Lane Smith illustrates a message about online or printed books. While monkey reads a book ,jackass questions whether the book can text or if it has a mouse. Monkey patiently answers all the questions and hands jackass a book so he can answer his own questions.

King of the Sky by Nicola Davies

A lonely, Italian boy moves to the Welsh countryside. An unexpected friendship with an old man who races pigeons helps him feel like he is no longer a stranger and that he belongs in his new home. Reinforces themes of belonging, friendship, immigration, loneliness, and patience.

Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn

Inspired by reading garden poetry, Lola decides to plant her own garden. She visits the library to do her research before buying flowers and seeds to plant.

The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi

A young girl persists in learning to ride her bike, despite her frustrations. Use to discuss a growth mindset, determination, making mistakes and not giving up.

Manjhi Moves a Mountain by Nancy Churnin

Dashrath Manjhi shosw how determination, grit and patience can literally move mountains. He uses a hammer and chisel to break through a mountain to a town where people in his village can access schools, health care and running water. Use this biography to discuss perseverance, determination, inequalities, and sequencing.

Me First! by Michaël Escoffier

A duck always has to be first. His three siblings get frustrated because their brother’s behaviour ruins everything. He does finally learn that being first isn’t always the best. Use to discuss patience, respect, and selfishness.

My Name Is Elizabeth! by Annika Dunklee

Elizabeth loves her royal sounding name, but she doesn't like it when it is shorten to Lizzie, Liz or Beth. She suffers in silence until her frustration grows and grows and she loses her patience. As result, she learns how important respect and thoughtfulness are.

Norris, The Bear Who Shared by Catherine Rayner

Norris was wise and patient. He sat under the plorringe tree and waited for something special to happen. Tulip and Violet spotted adelicious plorringe fruit and clambered up the tree to get it but the fruit fell onto Norris' head. As well as being wise and patient Norris was also kind and shared the fruit with his two new friends.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Descriptive language inspires the reader’s imagination when a little girl and her father go owling on a winter night. Promotes love, companionship and patience.

Patience, Miyuki by Roxane Marie Galliez

Miyuki struggles with patience. As spring arrives, she is eager to see the garden bloom. When the rain doesn’t arrive, she tries to find her own source of water to hurry nature along. Her grandfather teaches her how nature grows in its own time.

Salt in His Shoes by Deloris Jordan

A young Michael Jordon thought about giving up his basketball dream because of his size. His parents shared with him the qualities that make a champion, patience, determination, and hard work.

A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant

In the late 1800s, Horace Pippin drew anyone around him. He filled notebooks while fighting during WWI, but when he was shot, he could not create his art. Through practice and patience, Horace regained the use of his arm and started creating art again. Use to teach overcoming adversity, perseverance, a growth mindset and determination.

A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel

A stone sits still, unchanging, as times passes. No matter what is going on around it, the stone is constant and reliable, becoming a home for creatures, big and small. Promotes perspective, perception, and the passage of time.

Waiting by Kevin Henkes

Five friends sit on a windowsill, each waiting for something different to happen, experience a few surprises along the way. Use to discuss patience, making connections, and the passing of seasons.

Waiting Is Not Easy by Mo Willems

Gerald struggles to manage his patience and emotions when Piggie tells him she has a surprise that he has to wait for. He waits, and waits, and wait until all the waiting starts to drive him crazy. When the time comes for Piggie's surprise, Gerald realises some things are worth waiting for.

The Watcher by Jeanette Winter

Follow Jane Goodall as she becomes the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees and how she has dedicated her life to save them from extinction. Jane Goodall is also an environmentalist, conservationist and humanitarian.

While We Can't Hug by Eoin McLaughlin

Best friends, Hedgehog and Tortoise, want to hug each other, but are not allowed. They find different ways to show their love for each other by waving, blowing kisses, singing, dancing and writing letters. Reinforces social distancing, empathy, friendship, and love.

You Will Be My Friend! by Peter Brown

Lucy travels through the forest to let the animals know they are her new friend. They all back off from her single-minded attempts at friendship. Will Lucy find the friend she is looking for? Promotes themes of enthusiasm, friendship and patience.

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As well as these wonderful books about patience I have found some great videos showing examples of different types of patience.

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