8 Incredible Books That Highlight Family, Friendship, And Life’s Joys!

Published in 1986, this picture book with beautiful illustrations by Sheila McGraw has remained a favorite among children and adults alike. It begins with a young mother rocking her baby to sleep while singing that she'll always love him. Find out what happens when the child and the mother grow older. The book explores unconditional love and the circle of life in a very simple yet evocative way. If you're looking for a book that can help convey to your child that you'll love them no matter what, look no further!

Activity: Encourage your preschooler to recall their favorite experiences with family, remind them of the fun times in the park, beach or kitchen, and share a good laugh.

This warm little book depicts the love between Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare. Your child will love the stunning watercolor illustrations of the cute rabbits and the playful relationship shared by the father-son duo. The little hare tries to find words to describe how much he loves his father. But Daddy Hare has a retort ready every time, and says he loves his little son more! Read this fun book to find out who wins.

Activity: Taking your prompt from this book, play a fun game of Who Loves Whom More! Let your child describe in a sentence how much they love you. For example, I love you more than monkeys love bananas! Have a repartee ready, I love you more than monkeys love bananas, AND mangoes! Keep playing till you have a winner.

It's time for a family portrait for the Carters. But 8-year-old Marcus's mother doesn't want to be in the photo because she has lost all her hair to chemotherapy treatment for her cancer. Little Marcus wants his dear Mama in the photograph, so he comes up with a plan to find some hair for his mother. Does he succeed? Find out in this moving, yet humorous book.

Activity: Play a game of Love Charades with your whole family on a weekend, and encourage your child to express themselves. Form two teams and have cards with instructions such as: Give a hug, Write a thank-you note, Help a parent prepare dinner, and Kiss your little sister. One person from the team enacts, while the other has to guess the expressions.

Life has its struggles, but there's beauty and love all around you. That's the central theme of this lyrical book, which has beautiful scenes from everyday life and celebrates love. For example, when an uncle narrates a made-up story to a child, or when a child shares his food with a homeless person, or when a child wakes up in the middle of the night and is rocked back to sleep by his mom or dad, there's love. This is a great book to bond with your child.

Activity: Encourage your child to make a 'You're awesome' greeting card for a loved one who is far away. After they write down their loving thoughts in the card, you can help them post the card.

Set during World War II, this historical novel tells the story of 10-year-old Ada Smith, who has never stepped out of her tiny apartment. The reason? Ada's mother is ashamed of her daughter's twisted foot and doesn't want anyone to see her deformity. Then, during the war, Ada somehow sneaks out. But challenges are waiting for her. This is a very inspiring tale told in the first person by Ada, who learns that she's worthy of love and can do anything if she sets her mind to it.

Activity: Bond with your child by role-playing their favorite scene from the book. Let your child pick a scene with two characters. Then, get the costumes ready (as close as possible) and act out the scene to the rest of your family.

Published in 1977, this is a classic tale of love and friendship. Two close friends, Jess and Leslie, are coping with issues at home and in school and are helping each other out. Jess loves drawing but is forced to take up sports like other boys, while Leslie is made fun of because he dresses differently. The friends find a secret place in the woods and call it Terabithia. Here, they let their imagination take them away from all their problems. But what happens when tragedy strikes? Find out.

Activity: Sit down with your child and make a playlist of popular songs on friendship, in any language they want. Listen to the songs together. Then, pick one song, try and learn it, and sing it together!

Lina (16) travels to Tuscany, Italy, to fulfill her mother's dying wish; she wants Lina to go and live with her father in Italy. "He will keep you safe," says her mother. But Lina was stumped. Why didn't her mother talk about her father all these years? And why doesn't she look like her father at all? Then Lina finds her mother's diary, written in her student days, filled with a host of astonishing secrets for Lina to discover! Your child will love this book, filled with romance, mystery and family drama, loaded with beautiful descriptions of delectable Italian food and Renaissance architecture.

Activity: Spend some quality time with your child and prepare an Italian dish together. There are many delicious options, from bruschetta, pasta and pizza to tiramisu and gelato. Get cookin'!

Madeline Whittier, who lives with her mother and a nurse, has never left her house for 15 years because she is being treated for a rare condition called severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). I am allergic to the world, Madeline writes in the book, which is in the form of a diary. But one day, a new family moves in next door, which includes a boy, Olly. Life's not going to be the same again for Madeline.

Activity: Have a discussion with your teenager about what they think amounts to unconditional love and exchange examples of selfless love you have come across in real life, books or movies.