Conflict resolution strategies are essential life skills for your students to develop. Starting in the classroom helps them resolve conflicts peacefully in a safe environment. Discover picture books about conflict resolution which encourage solving disagreements through communication, compromise, harmony, collaboration, and forgiveness.
Why Read Picture Books About Conflict Resolution?
Using picture books about conflict resolution lets your students read about different types of conflict and solutions for resolution. They also illustrate:
- conflict between people is normal; we don’t always agree.
- how ignoring a conflict can escalate it.
- how both sides of the conflict are thinking and feeling.
- the consequences of actions and words.
- how some conflicts are easily solved, others are not.
- strategies for effective conflict resolution.
Conflict resolution is an important life skill that all children need to know. It can be difficult for young students to resolve conflicts peacefully; with the right picture books, it can be much easier. Sharing these books with your students encourages discussion on conflict resolutions that work and can incorporate into their everyday lives.
These books deal with conflict in a relatable and age-appropriate way for young students. They also offer simple solutions to conflict that children can easily understand and implement.
Benefits of Learning Conflict Resolution Strategies
- Gives your students ways to resolve disagreements independently.
- Enables your students to prevent disputes from escalating.
- Gives you more time for teaching and less time managing social issues and disruptions.
- Improves self-confidence and self-esteem.
- Gives your students life-long skills.
Questions to Use with Picture Books about Conflict Resolution
- Have you ever disagreed with a friend?
- How did the situation make you feel?
- Can you remember what started the conflict?
- How did you solve the conflict?
- What would you do differently next time?
- If you got angry, did it help resolve the conflict?
- How did listening help resolve the conflict?
- Why did [character] and [character] disagree/have conflict?
- What can they do or say to sort out their differences?
- What advice would you give [character]?
- Why did [character] start an argument with [character]? What would have been a better way to deal with the situation?
- What could they have done to stop their conflict from getting out of control?
- Why is respect important?
- How do you manage conflict with others?
- Would the strategies used by [character] be useful to you? How/Why?
- Can other people be affected by a conflict between others? How/Why?
- Think of successful conflict resolution strategies you have used.
- List effective conflict resolution strategies to deal with disputes and disagreements.
- List things you should not do if you disagree with someone.
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Picture Books about Conflict Resolution
In this list, you will find characters who show both the positive and negative sides of conflicts. They get angry and frustrated, cool off before reacting, listen to different perspectives, take responsibility for their actions, and work cooperatively to find solutions.
Anton and the Battle by Ole Konnecke
Two friends compete for dominance in the fun picture book about one-upmanship. Their bravado disappears when they see a small puppy and rush up a tree.
Promotes relationship skills, responsible decision-making and self-management.
The Banana-Leaf Ball: How Play Can Change the World by Katie Smith Milway
Deo lives in a refugee camp in Tanzania, separated from his family. Remy, a gang leader, targets Deo, but when they come together on the football field, they find common ground and a sense of belonging.
A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Willems
Piggie rushes to her best friend, Gerald, for help when a big guy takes her ball. Gerald immediately wants to help but discovers that ‘big guy' is an understatement. He diffuses the situation and they both make a new friend in the process.
Cheese Belongs to You! by Alexis Deacon
A small rat with a bow on its tail stands next to a block of cheese. It declares that, under rats law, if you find cheese it belongs to you, “unless a big rat wants it…Then cheese belongs to him.” Bigger, quicker, stronger, scarier rats all claim the yellow block of cheese until chaos ensues.
Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
Farmer Brown’s cows type him a letter demanding electric blankets. They go on strike when he refuses their demands. Duck takes an ultimatum from Farmer Brown to the cows and they agree to exchange the typewriter for the blankets. But, the next day, Farmer Brown gets a note from the ducks demanding a diving board for their pond!
Read to discuss communication, persuasion, activism, knowledge, problem & solution, fairness, and resourcefulness.
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Duncan’s crayons have quit. They leave letters expressing their grievances and requesting a change in their working conditions.
Reinforces themes of communication, creativity, self-awareness, relationship skills and perspectives.
Draw the Line by Kathryn Otoshi
Magic happens when two boys connect the lines they are drawing. The boy's emotions take over when their lines get tangled, and a rift appears.
This wordless book promotes forgiveness, conflict resolution and boundaries.
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
A boy’s life changes for the worse when Jeremy Ross moves to town. He is Jeremy’s enemy. Dad’s advice is to make an enemy pie, but it will only work if he spends the whole day with his enemy. They end up having so much fun the boy doesn’t need the pie.
Read to discuss kindness, conflict resolution, bullying, and problem-solving.
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.
Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson
In the 14th century, Hiawatha, chief of the Onondaga tribe, overcame many challenges to unite the five warring Iroquois nations. He translated the Peacemaker’s message of forgiveness, unity and peace. Through this process, he is able to forgive the tribe that killed his own wife and daughters.
Hot Day on Abbott Avenue by Karen English
On a humid summer’s day two girls, Kishi and Renée, sit on their separate front porches. It is best-friends-breakup day. While they wait for each other to apologise, they hear the sounds of other children playing in the street. They soon forget about being mad at each other and join in a game of jump rope.
The Hueys in It Wasn't Me by Oliver Jeffers
Gillespie comes across an argument among a group of Hueys. They keep blaming each other until one Huey asks what they are arguing about. The problem is, no one can remember!
Read to promote discussion on conflict resolution, social skills and relationship skills.
The Kraken's Rules for Making Friends by Brittany R. Jacobs
When Kraken struggles to make new friends, a great white shark gives him rules to help. Will they help this bad-tempered monster of the sea find a new friend?
Promotes courage, problem-solving, and relationship skills.
I Love My New Toy! by Mo Willems
Piggie is so excited to show Gerald her new toy. When he accidentally breaks it, she gets mad and he feels guilty. When a squirrel shows the toy is supposed to break, they start on a journey of forgiveness while learning friends are more important than toys.
Mine! by Jerome Keane
Horse and Fox are BORED! But then a thing appears. They try to compromise over who will have the thing, but they don’t notice someone else is interested in it.
Reinforces themes of conflict, cooperation and sharing.
Molly and Mae: A Friendship Journey by Danny Parker
During a train journey, two friends, Molly and Mae, experience the up and downs of friendship from laughter to disagreements and finally to forgiveness and reconciliation.
Nerdy Birdy Tweets by Aaron Reynolds
Nerdy Birdy neglects her friend Vulture when her use of technology and social media takes over.
Reinforces themes of technology use, relationship skills, being well-balanced and self-management.
Odd Dog by Claudia Boldt
Helmut loves apples so much that he is convinced his neighbour Igor is trying to steal them from his tree. Paranoid, Helmut spends all his time thinking up ways to protect his apples, until he learns Igor has no interest in his apples. (In the US, Helmut is named Peanut and Igor is Milo.)
Reinforces themes of conflict, jealousy, problem-solving and sharing.
One by Kathryn Otoshi
Quiet Blue sometimes wishes he could be more sunny, bright or regal like his friends because bully Red picked on shy Blue. One unites all the colours and shows them how to stand up to Red and be counted.
Read to discuss tolerance, cause & effect, bullying, being principled, respect and conflict resolution.
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
Princess Elizabeth saves her fiancé Prince Ronald from a dragon only for him to tell her to clean herself up and look like a princess. Elizabeth happily skips into the sunset by herself.
Promotes gender roles, independence, self-esteem and strong female characters.
The Peace Book by Todd Parr
The Peace Book describes what conflict is and how it can be resolved. Todd Parr also offers a variety of tips for staying calm and solving problems peacefully.
Read to discuss peace, tolerance, respect, compassion and conflict resolution.
Ravi's Roar by Tom Percival
Ravi has a bad day. He can’t reach the monkey bars, can’t find anyone during hide and seek and is too small for the big slide. It all gets too much, and Ravi gets really mad. He turns onto a ferocious tiger and lashes out at everyone. After calming down, he feels bad and apologises.
Promotes discussions on anger, self-management, self-control, and patience.
Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler
Everyone follows Johan's rules of the playground, all except Lennox. She wants to become the ruler of the playground. As playground politics and demanding behaviour increase, they lose all their friends. On reflection, they realise that they need to change their attitude, and they come up with a plan to apologise.
The Sandwich Swap by Kelly DiPucchio
Best friends Lily and Salma do everything together but disagree when they don’t understand their cultural lunch choices. When they taste each other's food, they realise friendship is more important than their differences.
The Squirrels Who Squabbled by Rachel Bright
Two greedy squirrels learn to share and cooperate when they chase after the last nut of the season. Promotes discussion on sharing, friendship, greed and cooperation.
The Steves by Morag Hood
The story follows two friends, Steve and Stevie, who have a disagreement about who is the first Steve, the best Steve, the Stevest of Steves. They each share their side of the story and then work together to find a solution that works for both of them.
Read to promote discussions on conflict resolution, sharing, perspective and competitiveness.
The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas
Three little wolves head out into the world to build new study homes. But these houses are no match for the big bad pig. The wolves have to be innovative to outwit the pig.
Use to compare and contrast with other versions of the Three Little Pigs and discuss creative thinking, bullying, different points of view, and forgiveness.
There’s a Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins
A polar bear is sitting in the chair of a furious mouse who rants and raves there is no room on the chair. In a reversal of fortune, the bear goes home to find there is the mouse in his house.
Reinforces themes of conflict, self-management, activism and sharing.
This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
A small fish wearing a hat admits, “this is not my hat”. He stole it from a big fish. A fish is soon on the hunt for his hat and the dishonest fish. Sure it will get away with the crime, the fish is unaware that the big fish is searching for his hat. The last we hear of the little fish is him swimming into the reeds with the big fish following behind.
Promotes honesty, integrity, conflict and responsible decision-making.
Two by Kathryn Otoshi
Best friends, One and Two love doing everything together. That is until Three comes along and Two feels left out. She was not an odd number. The even numbers support Two but an escalating argument occurs between the odd and even numbers. Zero encourages Two to be the bigger number and put a stop to the divisions.
The Two Bullies by Junko Morimoto
Two strong men, Ni-ou from Japan and Dokkoi from China, want to prove they are the strongest. They try to intimidate each other with their power and prowess but believe the other man is the strongest. They make excuses not to fight.
The Wall in the Middle of The Book by Jon Agee
A knight protects himself from the dangers on the other side of a wall. But he is too busy worrying about the unknown that he doesn't see the dangers on his own side of the wall.
This Amnesty recommended book promotes discussions on fears, tolerance and conflict.
The Way of the Ninja by David Bruins
Ninja loves being with his friends but when his friends, Bear and Cowboy, don’t want to join in a frustrated Ninja plays alone. He concludes it is better to compromise with his friends than play by himself.
Reinforces themes of compromise, problem-solving, respect and sharing.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything through them, I will get a small referral fee and you will be supporting me and my blog at no extra cost to you, so thank you! You can find more information here.
What Next?
Do you use any of these picture books about conflict resolution with your students? Or do you use other books to reinforce effective conflict resolution strategies with your students? Let me know in the comments!
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