All about me topic books for EYFS teaching and continuous provision. This list includes fiction stories, nonfiction illustrated books, picture books, and real-life stories about children, growing up, dealing with emotions, senses, going to school, and what it is to live and be a human being. Writers include Mem Fox, The School of Life, Esther Pia Cordova, Lupita Nyong’o, Hervé Tullet, Sophy Henn, and David McKee.
All About Me topic books for EYFS – our recommended titles
Be You! by Karl Newson, illustrated by Ela Smietanka
A parade of characters wearing vibrant animal onesies shows younger readers how to be themselves and be proud of who they are. The catchy rhyming message is great to read aloud and encourages joining in, inference and discussion. ‘Be You’ is a joyful, empowering and positive book to share with children in EYFS.
Follow Your Heart by Emma Dodd
Follow Your Heart by Emma Dodd tells the story of a young dolphin who learns the value of staying true to oneself. Aimed at children aged 0-5, this book encourages EYFS children to value self-belief and trust their instincts. It will help young readers understand the importance of following their heart in life’s decisions, and teachers can use this text to discuss with children how to build self-confidence and develop emotional awareness. Highly recommended.
Big Feelings: And what they tell us by Rebekah Ballagh
‘Big Feelings’ will help children begin to understand how and why they feel a range of different emotions including confidence, anxiety, sadness, kindness and embarrassment. An invaluable book to read with a class and discuss in circle time, the ‘feelings wheel’, emotion faces picture chart and ‘feelings thermometer’ will prove particularly useful resources for teachers in EYFS and KS1.
The Roar by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar
When Tortoise because frustrated and angry, Hedgehog wants to help – but he doesn’t know how to. A wise owl suggests that he tries to understand how his friend is feeling. Soon both of them have shared experiences to talk about. With beautiful and characterful illustrations, outstanding lines to read aloud and a rewarding ending, “The Roar” is a masterpiece of empathy, understanding and trust. Highly recommended for reading to EYFS and children under 4.
An Emotional Menagerie – Feelings from A to Z by The School of Life
An A to Z compendium of feelings, beginning with A for Anger and concluding with Z for Zeal. Each emotion is presented in rhyming verse, with thought-provoking imagery, contemplative allegory, and an almost confessional delivery the children will find both reassuring and eye-opening. This would make a great resource for teachers’ planning, bubble circle times, PSHE lessons, and whole school assemblies – where there’s plenty in each poem to fill a session with useful discussion.
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox
This classic picture book celebrates the differences between babies from all around the world while reminding the reader that we all share ten little fingers and ten little toes. Uplifting and gentle, the rhyming text and glorious illustrations make this a great book to read, share and discuss with classes in EYFS.
From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
This highly interactive picture book shows children how to pose, wriggle, bend, clap, scratch and make other body movements – as portrayed by a variety of animals including gorillas and camels. Great fun, addictive and a clever way to teach children the name for parts of the body!
The Five Senses by Hervé Tullet
With vibrant illustrations, this eyecatching and funny picture book challenges the reader to think differently by presenting everyday objects and situations in unusual ways. Including a page of noses, an amusing mirror and a fork designed for easier pea eating, this is a great book to help younger children explore their senses.
Not Now, Bernard by David McKee
This classic picture book story features a boy who just can’t get the attention he wants from his permanently busy parents. When a monster appears in the garden, Bernard can’t find a way to alert his family. And there’s an interesting twist! A really useful book to discuss how to get on with other people, and strategies to follow when feeling frustrated.
I Can’t Do That, YET by Esther Pia Cordova
When Emma decides she can’t do something, she announces it to the world. But one night, she has a dream and imagines herself achieving whatever she sets her mind to. With this new found vision, she sets about changing how she thinks and approaches problems. A great book to read and discuss.
At Our House by Isabel Minhos Martins
A lively and colourful picture book that asks the reader to count all the things to do with the people in the author’s house. This includes the toes, intestines, fingers, freckles and more startling and gross number-crunching which will appeal to seven-year-old readers – particularly those reluctant to start chapter books.
While We Can’t Hug by Eoin McLaughlin
This tender-hearted story about a hedgehog and a tortoise who, due to circumstances, are unable to hug, is a great way to show children the many different ways of showing appreciation, affection and love. Inspired by social distancing, this is a great book to help children understand the changes in peoples’ lives caused by the pandemic – both now and in the future.
Super Duper You by Sophy Henn
This inspirational picture book is great to read aloud in EYFS classes. With catchy rhyming text and bright illustrations, this clever text looks at all the characteristics – warts and all – that make us unique and special. A good book to inspire topic work and art displays.
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
Moving to a new school from a foreign country is challenging, and Unhei decides to let her classmates pick her a new name. But when they find out more about her life, they decide her existing name is unique and special, and she helps them to pronounce it. A powerful book about respect and accepting people for who they are.
Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
This charming board book introduces young readers to cultures, identities and places around the world that may be new or unfamiliar. A great story to unite families, generations and explore what links us all together. A wonderful book to share with younger children.
Two Homes by Claire Masurel
Alex has two homes, two bedrooms, and two toothbrushes – one each with Daddy, and one each with Mummy. This subtle, uplifting and memorable story helps children to understand what happens when parents live separately. A useful book for PSHE.
Nora: the Girl Who Ate and Ate and Ate by Andrew Weale
Nora loves food and she loves to eat. When she starts to build the most incredible sandwich with lots of interesting ingredients, she finds she may have gone too far. The fun illustrations make this a great cautionary tale to read aloud and share with EYFS classes.
All Kinds of People by Emma Damon
A book that celebrates differences and uniqueness, presenting the reader with a range of interesting people in a lift-the-flap format. With fun illustrations, EYFS children can plot their own record of unique features using the supplied mirror. A great interactive resource.
Only One You by Linda Kranz
With beautiful illustrations of painted rocks, this story is told by Adri’s parents, who recall what they have learned through raising their son. The clever observations and detail make this a joy to read aloud and share. The artwork provides an excellent impetus for children’s own artwork in EYFS, and creative writing wall displays. Highly recommended.
Grandad’s Teeth by Rod Clement
When Grandad loses his teeth, the whole family searches everywhere, but noone can find them. Who is responsible?! This infectious whodunnit poem is a fantastic picture book to read aloud, perform in pairs, or act out. The vibrant illustrations help bring the story alive.
Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival
When Norman develops a set of spectacular wings, part of him is delighted he can fly high into the sky, but part of him wants to hide them away – worried about what others will say. This thought-provoking story helps children to consider who they are and how to be themselves.
Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o
This captivating and award-winning picture book challenges the young reader to think about people from different backgrounds and cultures, and what it means to tap into inner confidence and develop self-esteem. A useful book for teachers to use in EYFS classes when discussing colourism and respect.
Marvelous Me: Inside and Out by Lisa Bullard
This book celebrates how Alex is different from other children his age. Looking at every aspect of him that is unique, young readers can explore just what it is that makes them who they are. A great book to return to, the illustrations and ideas are ideal to inspire classroom literacy projects.
Eleanor’s Eyebrows by Timothy Knapman
This fun and quirky book asks a simple question. What if your eyebrows vanished and decided to be something else? Eleanor’s eyebrows turn up as a magician’s moustache, decorated punctuation and hairy insect legs, amongst other things. Highly imaginative, this is a great book to discuss with EYFS children.
Once There Were Giants by Martin Waddell
This unique book explores the world from the point of view of a small child in a world where older people are giants. Year after year, as the child grows, she joins the world of giants! This clever story helps children consider a different viewpoint. A useful book to provoke creative writing ideas and talk.
The Last Noo-Noo by Jill Murphy
When Marlon’s mum and granny decide he’s too old for a dummy, Marlon disagrees. Vociferously. Nothing and noone will take away his ‘noo-noo’. A good book to spark classroom discussions about growing up and positive ways to be more independent.
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All About Me topic resources
- BBC education has a useful set of resources to help teachers and home educators get started with an ‘All About Me’ topic, centred around starting primary school.
- A great series of STEM-based resources that include science lessons, dance, healthy eating, the senses and learning about our bodies – from STEM.org.uk.
- All About Me resources from BBC BiteSize, including videos and lesson ideas.
If you liked this list, you might also enjoy our collection of adoption and families topic books and our Resilience themed books.
