From the Scholastic Bookshelf: How to Talk to Your Child About Community

A community is a group of people who have something in common. They may live and work in the same place or they may be dispersed but share interests and values. Community is important for making us feel like we belong and also for celebrating our diversity. When we feel part of a community, we feel supported and part of something bigger. 

Being part of a group also allows us to solve problems on a larger scale. When you’re talking to your child about community, you can emphasize how everyone has something to contribute. Your child will feel empowered to give back, whether that’s through a community garden or your local food pantry. 

For its 100th anniversary, Scholastic spoke with experts to identify a set of books, articles, and tips that make starting a conversation with your child about community easier. These resources are part of a broader initiative, called the Scholastic Bookshelf, created for Instagram to raise awareness around contemporary issues affecting children today.

Introducing the Community Concept

Character Counts! Be a Good Citizen is a read-aloud for ages 2-5 that shows what can be accomplished when community members band together. After a big storm makes a mess of the zoo school, Brooke the bear must teach her friends to work together to help clean it up.

Finding Their Role in the Community

“You Can Make A Difference!” in Junior Scholastic magazine details the many ways in which interested students can help their communities. Suggestions include helping out at a local animal shelter, organizing a sports tournament to raise money for a local or national cause, and preparing a meal with friends at a local soup kitchen. 

“I’m Saving My Community” in Scholastic News is the story of Mari Copeny from Flint, Michigan, who at 8 years old wrote to then-President Barack Obama asking for help for the people in her hometown who could not drink or cook with the toxic water supply. Copeny went on to raise over a quarter-million dollars to supply her community with bottled water. Today, she is known as “Little Miss Flint” for her contribution.

“You don’t have to be an adult to change the world,” she says. 

Be sure to visit the Scholastic Bookshelf for more resources on community and other must-discuss topics. If you’re planning to talk with your child about other complex topics and seek tips or book recommendations, visit our Tough Topics hub. You’ll find a wealth of advice from Scholastic Editors to help you navigate challenging conversations thoughtfully. For instance, just a few other topics include:

• Anxiety
• Bullying
• Depression

Shop books about community below! You can shop all books and activities at The Scholastic Store.