Motivational books are a great way to inspire your students to follow their dreams and achieve their goals. Students are motivated in different ways and books can suggest different mindsets and activities to inspire change in behavior. This curated selection of books offers a motivational medium for students of all ages. Whether your kids are in Kindergarten or in High School, they will find a book they love!
1. I Am Confident, Brave & Beautiful: A Coloring Book for Girls
This beautiful book is a great resource for young learners looking to build confidence. Internal confidence is an incredibly important aspect of life that needs to be taught at a young age. Additionally, your young learners will love coloring as a soothing way to develop their self-worth.
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2. I’m Going to Have a Good Day!: Daily Affirmations with Scarlett
If you are looking for an impactful book for young students who struggle with self-worth, look no further than this daily affirmation book. Here students can practice repeating phrases daily to become more confident and believe in themselves. This is a great book for students who doubt their worth.
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3. The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life
While the book cover may make it seem like this helpful guide is only about basketball, Kwame Alexander's guidebook uses wisdom from successful people such as Michelle Obama and Nelson Mandela to give advice about daily life. This book will help students who are having difficulties in life and also give tips and suggestions on how to have a dream career.
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4. Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul: Stories of Changes, Choices and Growing Up for Kids Ages 9-13
Chicken Soup for the Soul books have been around for generations and are inspirational anecdotes on how to live a good life. For students looking for books with advice, this book will give personal accounts of how preteens have worked through events that felt like an existential crisis or moments where they overcame bad habits.
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5. Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts
For older students who identify as introverts and struggle to put themselves out there, this impactful book will help them feel empowered to continue to be themselves. This book is excellent for kids starting at a new school or moving to a new town.
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6. The Manual to Middle School: The "Do This, Not That" Survival Guide for Guys
This motivational book for boys is a great habit book for young men transitioning to middle school. When students go to middle school, they often face a lot of challenges and changes emotionally, socially, academically, and physically. This book will help them navigate that.
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7. 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne's Precepts
For those who loved R.J. Palacio's Wonder, this inspirational book will be sure to be a fan favorite. In middle school and upper elementary school, students often need advice on navigating friendships, so this book will definitely be a way to show students that they can be themselves.
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8. Just as You Are: A Teen's Guide to Self-Acceptance and Lasting Self-Esteem
This motivational book for teens helps these newly young adults find self-acceptance in their personal lives. Add this favorite book to your book list for teens who are struggling with identity and self-esteem.
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9. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens
For teens who struggle with routine and habits in everyday life, this excellent book will give tips and tricks to help them better their day to day. This book with advice helps teens with situations involving friendship, peer pressure, and much more.
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10. The Body Image Book for Girls: Love Yourself and Grow Up Fearless
Many girls and young women struggle with body image and self-esteem. Books and media often impact the subconscious mind of how girls and women should look. This motivational book takes a deeper look at the bad habits of negative self-talk and goes over good strategies to love yourself.
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11. This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do The Work
This bestselling book is an excellent way to teach students about how to be anti-racist and ways they can personally impact their community in terms of race. This book is a great resource for the whole class to talk about together.
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12. The Ultimate Self-Esteem Workbook for Teens: Overcome Insecurity, Defeat Your Inner Critic, and Live Confidently
For school students who struggle with self-esteem, this workbook includes activities and exercises to make a direct change in your student's concept of self-worth. This book would be an excellent resource for a social-emotional learning unit.
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13. The Mindfulness Journal for Teens: Prompts and Practices to Help You Stay Cool, Calm, and Present
Journaling is an excellent way for students to reflect on thoughts and goals. Whether or not students are vocalizing difficulties in life, this set of prompts is a great way for students to reflect on their current life and be mindful in goal setting.
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14. A Year of Positive Thinking for Teens: Daily Motivation to Beat Stress, Inspire Happiness, and Achieve Your Goals
If stress is a major aspect of life for your students, suggest this positive thinking book! Your students will work on their personal development in handling negative emotions.
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15. Shoot Your Shot: A Sport-Inspired Guide To Living Your Best Life
For students who struggle with finding meaningfulness in self-help books, try suggesting this sports-themed book. Sport-loving students will be able to connect their current life to these self-help tips.
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16. One Love
Based on the incredible music from Bob Marley, this adorable and motivational book will help young students realize the importance of showing love and kindness. This book is great for younger school students.
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17. Courage to Soar
This memoir by Simone Biles reflects on the challenges she faced to become a champion in her dream career. Students of all ages will resonate with the determination shown by Simone.
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18. One Minute
This motivational book uses pictures and time to show young learners the importance of not taking any moment for granted and valuing all of their time. This is a great way to teach younger students about small moments making a happy life.
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19. Shy
For students who struggle with shyness and putting themselves out there, this adorable motivational book is an excellent way to help students come to terms with their shyness and realize that they do not need to be shy all of the time.
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20. I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark
This motivational book takes a deeper look at the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and how she overcame many obstacles to come to her dream career as a Supreme Court Justice. This is a great book for kids of all ages.
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21. Ada Twist, Scientist
Ada Twist is a young girl who shows young kids like her that everyday people can dream big and accomplish their goals. This motivational book is great for a STEM unit!
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22. Oh, the Places You'll Go!
This classic, favorite book of Dr. Seuss's is a great book to read at the end of a life chapter (graduating, moving, etc.) While the book was originally made for younger readers, this vibrant bestselling book can be a great reminder to people of all ages about the adventures yet to be had.
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23. Dear Girl: A Celebration of Wonderful, Smart, Beautiful You!
For girls who struggle with self-esteem, this beautiful book is an excellent way to remind them that they are wonderful in so many ways. This book is great for younger learners!
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24. Girls Who Run the World: 31 CEOs Who Mean Business
For high school students whose dream career is running a business, this motivational book will show them the stories of different CEOs and how they came into their positions of power.
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25. Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers
This memoir takes a closer look at the life of Michelle Obama. This is an excellent book for school students who want to know more about how successful people, such as Barack and Michelle Obama, have struggled and how they made changes.
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26. Be a Changemaker: How to Start Something That Matters
Many students are looking for ways to make changes, but struggle to implement them. This book is a great way to show students that everyday people can be changemakers too!
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27. Teen Trailblazers: 30 Fearless Girls Who Changed the World Before They Were 20
This book for students shows teens that anybody can make a difference with motivation and effort! They can learn about other teens that they can relate to and how they were able to make changes in the world.
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28. You Are Awesome: Find Your Confidence and Dare to be Brilliant at (Almost) Anything
Building confidence can be challenging at any age, especially for young children. This bestselling book shows kids that they can strive for success and take risks!
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29. I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids
Saying affirmations is a great way to build confidence and motivate children of all ages to never give up. This wonderful picture book is an excellent resource for building self-esteem.
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30. You're Always Enough: And More Than I Hoped For
Not being good enough is a fear that many children face. Show kids that by just being themselves, they are enough in this motivational book for young children.
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31. I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness
For young readers who struggle with anxiety, this mindfulness book is a great way to calm the body and the mind. This could be an excellent read before a challenging activity.
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32. Jesse Owens
This motivational book takes a deeper look at the life of track champion Jesse Owens and the challenges he had to overcome to become a star.
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33. A Planet Full of Plastic
For students looking to make a difference in terms of climate change, this book is an excellent resource to inspire changes in routine (no matter how small)!
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34. Grandad Mandela
Based on the life and work of Nelson Mandela, students will be inspired to make changes in terms of equality in their own community.
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35. Greta & The Giants
While Greta Thurnberg is a real-life young activist, this book takes a more creative approach to her work. Students will learn about how age doesn't define your ability to make a change.
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36. Your Mind is Like the Sky
This picture book will help young readers cope with negative thoughts and help them figure out ways to ease the anxiety that stems from overthinking.
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