Book Basket: Character Strength of Love

When I first started learning about character strengths, I was surprised that “love” was listed as a strength. Love was something I thought of as an emotion or action, something you feel or do.

Along with kindness and social intelligence, love is a character strength of humanity and it means: our capacity to love and be loved. When we strengthen and maintain our reciprocal relationships with warmth, emotional connection, we are exercising the character strength of love.

While many young children lack the developmental capacity to display some character strengths early on, and must be taught them, this is not the case with love: love is developed at a very early age, along with hope and zest (more on this here). This strength is associated with happiness, and is also one of the top five strengths associated with enhanced life satisfaction.

There are different types of love: attachment love, between child and parent; compassionate or altruistic love, relating to kindness; companionate love, between friends; and romantic love, which is love for a partner or mate. Another type of love I sometimes see included in classification is “agape love” which refers to spiritual love.

If someone is high in the character strength of love, they can easily express and receive love, trust others, and feel contentment, devotion and fulfillment in their relationships.

If someone is low in love, they may feel isolated, lonely or afraid to care. They may struggle in accepting or receiving love from others. They may also appear cold and struggle in expressing care and warmth to others. If someone is overusing this strength, they may feel overbearing, saccharine or misaligned with others who love them back.

Exploring love as a character strength can help kids build and maintain their close relationships, create healthy boundaries and find meaning.

Here are a few children’s books to read and explore love as a strength.

Children's book about what love means — **What Is Love?**

A little kid tries to figure out what love means by asking a variety of people around him. He finds different answers and, in the end, discovers what love means to himself.
**Read this:** To set the stage for a discussion about love and explore the concept of love from a kid’s perspective.

**Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch**

This moving story features a lonely man who gets an unexpected valentine that connects him to his community.
**Read this:** To explore love both in terms of giving and receiving.

**Wild Honey from the Moon**

In this adventure story, a loving mother goes on a dangerous, exciting mission to help her child. With charming and delightful illustrations, the story demonstrates strong attachment love between parent and child.
**Read this:** To explain attachment love or unconditional love, and show your kids how much you love them.

Picture book about love, listening and curiosity - good book for kids — **Ask Me**

In this picture book, a father takes his daughter on a walk and asks her questions about what she likes. The story shows the power of active listening and both the fun and importance of learning more about the ones we love.
**Read this:** To explore the simple ways we show people care and love, like listening and paying attention.

**My Best Friend**

This story captures the thrill of making a good friend and finding a kindred spirit.
**Read this:** To revel in the happiness of finding a friend who loves you back, talk about “reciprocity” and its place in love, and talk about the ways we show our friends how much we care about them.

**A Plan for Pops**

In this story, a boy’s grandfather becomes wheelchair-bound and depressed. The boy comes up with a creative plan to help his grandfather adapt to this difficult life change.
**Read this:** To show how we can harness our other strengths and offer acts of service to show love.

Beautiful children's book about intergenerational relationship, love from grandma, perspective and aging — **The Lines on Nana’s Face**

In this story, a much-loved grandmother explains that she keeps her memories in her wrinkles. A beautiful story about loving ourselves and all of life.
**Read this:** To explore a little girl’s warm connection with her loving grandmother and the link between love and meaning. Also explore love directed toward oneself.

**Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog**

This is the story of a loyal dog who loses his owner and all the people who love him.
**Read this:** To explore love between a pet and owner, and think about the role of loyalty and honor in love.
Here’s a read aloud.

Picture book about rock garden and relationship between child and ojiichan — **Ojiichan’s Gift**

This is a moving story about a young girl and her grandfather, and their connection through care of a rock garden.
**Read this:** To think about how our roles change in our families over the lifespan, and explore compromise and work in love.

**The Name Jar**

This book explores perspective, kindness and teamwork, and it’s also apt for exploring self-love and compassion. Unhei comes out of a confusing time with love and care for herself.
**Read this:** To show the importance of turning love inward toward ourselves.

**I Know a Lady**

This is the story of a very nice neighbor and the ways she shows love to her neighborhood and community. Heartwarming and uplifting, it also shows the place of kindness in love.
**Read this:** To think about what it means to show love in your community in a broad sense.

Here are a few helpful articles to read in context of the character strength of love:

Five Ways to Talk with Kids So They Feel Loved

Raise Confident Kids by Speaking Their Love Language

4 Easy Ways Kids Can Show Their Love

When You Feel Lonely, Try These 5 Strengths (#1: Love)

Why We Struggle to Receive Love

Below are a few more books on love. My Dad and My Mom by Anthony Browne are funny and sweet reads about parental love that can get kids thinking about what they love about their caregivers. Could be fun to read as a source material in inspiring kids to work on their own books for a loved one. Toot & Puddle is a sweet story about two good friends with beautiful drawings. Love by Matt de la Peña invites kids to define love for themselves. In Mama, Do You Love Me? a child tries to test her mother’s unconditional love; this story is funny and reassuring, with a lilting rhythm that is fun to read aloud to young kids. Who Needs Donuts? is funny and perfect for kids who love comics. The absurd drawings and storyline make exploring love fun and not too sweet. A Gift explores the role of gift-giving in love and how we can use gifts to reinforce family bonds. Lots more below.

My Dad by Anthony Browne (Children's Book)

All the Things I Love About You by LeUyen Pham

Find more books related to the character strength of love and related character strengths of kindness and social Intelligence in the book guides below.