17 Great Moral Stories For Kids

One of the best ways to teach a child a lesson is through a story.

Fables and moral stories have been used just for this reason for millennia.

Wise men and women have orally told these types of stories since the dawn of time but we now have a huge advantage by being able to tell the same or similar stories with beautifully illustrated and well-written books.

There is something about using a multi-sensory instrument like a modern book that really helps a child understand the lessons brought forth by the story.

When a child can see the artfully crafted pictures while being read to or reading the story themselves the lesson or the moral seems to jump off the page and finds a home in their young brains.

We hope you find our suggested books helpful in your quest to discover great moral stories for kids.

Great Moral Stories For Kids

1. Ant and the Grasshopper

Ant and Grasshopper can’t agree over how to spend the summer.

Who will be proved right when winter comes?

This charming retelling of Aesop’s classic fable has easy-to-read text and fun puzzles to try after the story.

Clear, carefully leveled text and appealing illustrations help children progress and grow in confidence.

Very short stories, typically 100-300 words over 20-24 pages.

Short, simple sentences using everyday words.

Stories are followed by fun puzzles to test the understanding of the story.

Moral of the story: If you want to succeed tomorrow, you have to start working today. Those who do not plan for the long term will not succeed in the long run.

2. Illustrated Stories from Aesop

This timeless collection of over thirty fables is filled with Aesop’s best-loved characters.

Meet the lion who becomes friends with a mouse, a clever fox, a foolish crow and a wolf dressed up as a sheep.

Enchantingly illustrated and retold, these stories are the perfect introduction to Aesop and will be enjoyed for years to come.

Ages: 8 years and up

Pages: 272

Moral of the story: Many

3. The Thank You Dish

I’s dinnertime at Grace’s place.

“Thank you, alpaca,” says Grace.

“Alpaca,” asks Mama. “Why would you thank an alpaca?

This simple, charming and heartwarming book is a celebration of dinnertime and family time, and a child-friendly explanation of the value of community, sharing and … gardening!

Grace thanks all the different people and things that help contribute to helping make her wonderful meal a reality.

See what happens next…

Moral of the story: Using manners, valuing thankfulness and being grateful for the things around you.

For more great book idea see our article Great Books For Children With Autism.

4. How Bear Lost His Tail

All the animals in the forest admire Bear’s tail, but Bear thinks it’s a nuisance.

Fox was jealous of bear’s beautiful tail.

See what happens next…

This lively retelling of a Native American folk tale has easy-to-read text.

Very short stories, typically 100-300 words over 20-24 pages.

Ages: 4 years and up

Simple sentences using everyday words.

Stories are followed by fun puzzles to test their understanding of the story.

Moral of the story: Be careful who you trust; choose your teachers wisely or sometimes bad things can turn out better than you thought

5. Illustrated Fables from Around the World

An illustrated collection of myths from all over the world, all retold especially for young readers and beautifully illustrated.

Some of the Myths included are: The Children of Lir (Celtic), The Fox Maiden (Japanese), The Origin of the Winds (Inuit/Alaskan), Anansi and the Box of Stories (Ghana/Ashanti)

The Cowherd and the Princess (Chinese), The Wall of Asgard (Norse), How the Seasons Came to Be (Greek), Thunder and Lightning (Nigerian), Finn MacCool (Irish/Gaelic), The Fish of Maui (Maori), The Missing Goddess (Egyptian)

Fire of the Jaguar (South American/Kayapoo), The Greedy Frog (Tiddalik – Aboriginal), The Race of the Animals (Chinese Zodiac),

The Demon and the Goddess (Indian), Ishtar and the Land of the Dead (Mesopotamian/Babylonian), The Sun and the Moon (Korean), The Water Spirit’s Gift (Native American).

Moral of the story: Many

6. Mind Your Manners

It’s okay to enjoy roaring loudly.

We all deserve some time to play. But all lions should practice those soft growls for the quieter times of the day.

Welcome to the jungle! It’s full of misbehaving animals from messy monkeys to grumpy grizzly bears.

All the animals in the jungle are learning the value of manners and how to respect each other while still being able to be live how they feel is right.

But now it’s time for them – and you! – to learn how good manners make the world go round.

This book explains the WHY behind manners – how it makes life easier and more pleasant.

From saying “excuse me” to owning up to your mistakes.

Moral of the story: Life is more enjoyable when we can all get along in a polite and respectable manner regardless of where we live or who we are.

7. The Greedy Dog

Dog is hungry – he wants a juicy bone to eat, but will one bone be enough?

He wanted more than what he had.

See what happens next…

This charming retelling of a classic Aesop fable has easy-to-read text and fun puzzles to try after the story.

Clear, carefully leveled text and appealing illustrations help children progress and grow in confidence.

Very short stories, typically 100-300 words over 20-24 pages. Short, simple sentences using everyday words.

Moral of the story: Be happy with what you already have or you could lose what you do have.

Just like the Greedy Dog, sometimes kids need a little extra help. Check out our article How To Help A Child With Behavior Problems At School

8. Also an Animal

This joyful, animal ode to the love between a parent and child will have you pretending, imagining, learning and sharing with all the members of your animal kingdom.

This book talks about all the things that a parent does for its ” young” and what they do out of love.

Great for bedtime and read alouds.

The gentle rhyming text and gorgeous cut-paper illustrations make this a book to cherish.

Moral of the story: No matter how “wild or tame” a child can be that a parent’s love is unconditional no matter what the child has done or said.

9. Aesop’s Stories for Little Children

This charming illustrated story collection is the perfect introduction to Aesop’s classic tales.

Discover the antics and adventures of a boastful hare, a helpful mouse, a greedy dog and many more.

The morals of the stories are some that you would have remembered from your childhood

It has wonderful illustrations and excellent life lessons throughout the book.

Age: 3 years and up

Pages: 224pp

Moral of the story: Many

10. Cordelia

Cordelia can fly. Over the ocean, up with the birds, wherever she wants to go, she does.

It’s her favorite thing. It’s what makes her happy.

It’s what makes her who she is.

Until one day, she hears the whispers: people can’t fly; it’s impossible.

And suddenly, Cordelia can’t.

A modern-day fable about believing in yourself and your dreams – and flying wherever you want to go.

Age: 3-7 years

Moral of the story: Just because others don’t see the world like you, doesn’t mean that things are impossible, or they are not true.

11. Fairy Tales for Little Children

Welcome to the wonderful world of fairy tales, full of wicked wolves, clever princesses and magic beanstalks that touch the sky.

Would you like to be whisked away to a royal ball? Or find out who lives in a castle in the clouds?

Then let’s begin. Once upon a time… Includes: Cinderella, Goldilocks, Jack & the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, The Princess and the Pea.

Fairy tales are a great way to teach lessons to children.

When a child can see themselves in a fairy tale character and can connect with the character’s struggle it opens up the possibility for that child to learn the lesson the story is teaching.

Moral of the story: Many

Reading with your little ones is one of the best ways to help a child get ready for school.

For more ways to help your child get ready for school check out our article What Should My Child Know Before Kindergarten (Checklist)

12. The Gingerbread Man

The little old man and woman are feeling sad.

So the little old woman makes a gingerbread man, but when she opens the oven door, he runs away.

Soon, everyone in the village is chasing after him. Will anyone ever catch him?

He passes many people and animals that tell him to “stop”

The Gingerbread man keeps moving saying “Run, run as fast as you can. You can’t catch me. I’m the Gingerbread man”.

See what happens next…

Press the sound buttons to hear a clear, lively reading of this much-loved tale.

Moral of the story: Don’t let your ego or confidence get in the way of your good judgment, you should not trust anyone without first thinking things through carefully.

13. The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Every day, Sam takes the same old sheep up the same old mountain.

What can he do to make life a little more exciting?

Find out in this lively retelling of the classic story by Aesop.

One of the best stories to help teach a moral you can find.

This is a must for a young readers’ library.

Read with Usborne has been developed with the help of reading experts to support and motivate children in the early stages of reading.

Clear, carefully leveled text and appealing illustrations help children progress and grow in confidence.

Moral of the story: If you keep lying to people about important issues, you run the risk of not having any help if such an event were to happen.

14. Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Goldilocks looks like the sweetest girl you could imagine, but don’t be fooled!

Goldilocks causes trouble wherever she goes.

So when she finds an empty cottage in the woods, more mischief begins.

The empty cottage has three bowls of porridge laid out for breakfast, she sits down to find one that’s just right.

But she’d better look out!

Little does she know that the porridge belongs to three bears who are on their way home.

See what happens next…

Two perforated punch-out masks let little ones play along as Goldilocks or one of the bears as they listen to this friendly retelling perfectly designed for reading aloud.

The accessible, contemporary illustrations and clever text make the classic fairy tale fresh and fun.

Moral of the story: To mind their manners, and respect the private property of others (including bears), otherwise, a severe punishment could result from their trespasses or inconsiderateness.

15. Icarus, the Boy Who Flew Too High

Things don’t look good for Icarus and his dad.

They’re imprisoned in a tower inside a maze on a rocky island.

Can a daring idea fly them both to freedom?

Icarus doesn’t listen to his father.

See what happens next…

Several stories on a theme, or one longer story in chapters.

Typically 1,000-1,600 words over 48 pages, with slightly longer and more complex sentences, and longer paragraphs.

Moral of the story: Listen to your parents, Don’t let your excitement get in the way of your good thinking

Sometimes kids just don’t listen! For more information on how to help them be a better listener see our article How To Get A Child To Listen In School

16. The Billy Goats Gruff

The three Billy Goats Gruff were leaving their farm to look for food.

“What about the Terrible Troll?” cried their friends. “That’s just an old hen’s tale,” said the goats.

But as they crossed a river, they came face to fang with the Terrible Troll himself…

Some goats used their smarts and others use their brawn.

See what happens next…

Typically 1,000-1,600 words over 48 pages, with slightly longer and more complex sentences, and longer paragraphs.

Pages: 48

Moral of the story: Don’t keep waiting for something better to come, With wit and cunning it’s easier to defeat a problem, Sometimes you need to take a problem “head-on”.

17. The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Toby Town Mouse loves to live well, so he’s in for a surprise when he visits his country cousin – who lives in a hedge.

The country mouse didn’t have as much as the town mouse.

The town mouse convinces the country mouse to come live with him.

The country mouse takes him up on his offer.

See what happens next…

Find out what happens in this lively retelling of Aesop’s well-loved fable.

Moral of the story: Sometimes it is better to live happily with less than to live in luxury and feel fearful or stressed.

We hope you enjoyed our list of moral stories that teach children a lesson.

Please comment below with more books that you believe have helped you and your children teach a positive lesson so that they may one day put it to good use in the future.