This book is fantastic! Everything about it is perfect. It is well written and the content is delightfully helpful. The illustrations are cute and colorful. It is everything a book for this age group should be. I recommend it. This book is great for families and schools. I always love readings from this author and she has another winner!

I love this book! A great way to introduce our little ones to their ABCs and at the same time teach them about belonging. I loved how positive this book is. It teaches all about caring for others, accepting others, and celebrating everyone's own uniqueness. Each letter of the alphabet goes with a word all about belonging, like Empathy,worthy and opportunity. The illustrations really show the feeling of each page. This is a great book to read with your family and encourage our little ones. I also feel it would work great in an Early Childhood classroom as well as elementary. The possibilities are endless. Enjoy this with your little ones.
1000 stars

An A to Z of how everyone can be accepted and belong. I enjoyed how this book gave ideas on how we can be more accepting and help everyone belong. I especially like the “special projects” part of the book at the end. Such great ideas.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Meaningful and charming -- for anyone young and those young at heart. I enjoyed it and appreciate the additional resources/ideas as a follow-up to reinforce the book's message.

‘B is for Belonging’ by Shannon Anderson is a delightful children's book that combines the practice of ABCs with important lessons about belonging and inclusion. The story is engaging and educational, making it a valuable addition to any child's library.

Plot: ★★★★☆

The plot of ‘B is for Belonging’ is very cute and provides a unique way for children to practice their ABCs while learning about the concepts of belonging and inclusion. Each letter introduces a new word and idea related to these themes, creating a cohesive and meaningful narrative.

Character: ★★★★☆

The characters depicted in the book are cute and relatable. They help to bring the concepts of belonging and inclusion to life, making them more accessible and understandable for young readers.

Illustrations: ★★★★☆

The illustrations in ‘B is for Belonging’ are beautiful and add a vibrant, visual element to the book. The artwork complements the text well, making the book visually appealing and engaging for children.

Engagement: ★★★★☆

The engagement level of this book is solid. The combination of learning the alphabet and exploring themes of belonging and inclusion ensures that children will find the book both educational and interesting. The interactive aspect of identifying letters and words keeps young readers involved.

Readability: ★★★☆☆

The readability of ‘B is for Belonging’ may prove a bit difficult for younger children at times. While the book is designed to be educational, some of the words and concepts might be challenging for very young readers without adult assistance.

Enjoyment: ★★★☆☆

While the book is enjoyable, the educational nature of the content might not be as entertaining for some children compared to more story-driven books. However, the valuable lessons and engaging illustrations do contribute to a positive reading experience.


‘B is for Belonging’ by Shannon Anderson is a charming and educational book that effectively combines alphabet learning with important lessons on belonging and inclusion. With its cute characters, beautiful illustrations, and engaging format, it is a worthwhile read for young children and a helpful tool for parents and educators teaching these essential concepts.

Such a cute children's book, my kids loved it. I would recommend for ages pre-K thru 2nd grade. The illustrations were cute and the book was great at helping young ones learn there letters appropriately.

Alphabet books are nothing new. However, some stand out and this is one of them. You went in knowing the book was supposed to teach a lesson on belonging. Using the letters of the alphabet it explains other ways to make you a better you, Help others, and be better. It focuses on the difference between fitting in and belonging and how your unique and that is OK. I really like how this book was done. It’s a tad bit long but perfect for school-age children.

So grateful for this book.
This is an inclusive book structured like an alphabet book.
B is for Belonging is cute, nuanced, fresh and covers a much-needed topic; what it means to belong by being true to yourself, and how it differs from fitting in.

This alphabet book that is about belonging features compassionate words for all of the letters. For example G is for gifts (not material ones), K is for kindness, R is for relationships, and U is for understand.

This title is cheerfully illustrated with children of many backgrounds. The text is simple but well able to inspire conversation.

This is a terrific alphabet book. It encourages children to understand themselves and others.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Teacher Created Materials-Free Spirit Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

This is a very cute ABC book that includes valuable lessons for the learner on the subject of equity, inclusion, and beloning. Each page has relatively lengthy texts, so it would definitely have to be read to younger readers until their independent reading level developes, but it could be used to teach lessons about compassion and inclusion. Overall, this book has a wonderful message!

This will be added to my SEL collection. It’s an alphabet book that delineated between belonging and fitting in. It even includes lessons in the back that help kids practice being more empathetic and knowing the difference between the terms mentioned.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

B is for belonging but not fitting in. As someone who tried too long to fit in with others without being my total real self this book is wonderful. It goes through all the letters showing us how to be ourselves, accept others and belong in any group. The tips in the back for adults working with kids are great too. I highly recommend this picture book to anyone who works with groups of kids.

"B is for belonging" is an alphabet book about being yourself, accepting others and living together. The book has a really nice message for kids and the pictures are pretty. Every letter of the alphabet comes with a few sentences about empathy,togetherness, acceptance, etc. The format feels a bit like a book of quotes. At the end of a book is a series of activities to do with kids, to help them develop a sense of community.

I felt like the book was a bit too long for casual reading. My 5-y-o got a bit impatient towards the end. I also found the sentences a bit repetitive, I see this book as a good tool, when a kid has a conflict and needs a bit of time to calm down.

There are some good things to say about B Is for Belonging. The book encourages children to befriend people of all types, try new things, and have confidence. The illustrations in the book are super cute.

However, the book also makes it seem like you are supposed to just agree and accept everyone just like they want to be. The first two letters of the book say, "Aa. When you accept other people without judging them or asking them to change, you help them know that they belong. Bb. When you are welcomed and loved exactly as you are, you feel that you belong."
For the safety of children, shouldn't we be teaching them to be aware of what other people are like, instead of just telling people they belong that our children sometimes stay away from others or even ask them to change? There's no situation in our lives that we just accept (to agree or approve) everyone without judgment or question. In a book that's supposed to be encouraging inclusion and belonging, it ends up teaching children to never question who people are and just accept them.

*I received a dARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

This is a great book to boost confidence and self love in children. It is fun colour and upbeat. The pictures weren’t to detailed or busy but were eye catching enough to be in perfect contrast with the words. It’s a great fit, especially for classrooms.

Children’s picture book reviews part two 🪁📚🧸

B is for Belonging by Shannon Anderson (publish date August 5) This book teaches such a beautiful outtake on life and what is so important. “A is for when you accept others without judging them and don’t ask them to change” The concepts, the illustrations, the conversations to come from reading this book, and the takeaway was incredible. Every preschool should begin the year with this book. Phenomenally done! @teachercreatedmaterial

100 Words from the Street by Sesame Workshop (publish date is September 30) Such a fun interactive book, and wonderful for this key words to help your little one learn and express to you. My son loved the pictures, and has read it over and over! Highly recommend. @sesameworkshop

The World is Awaiting You by Marianne Richmond (publish date is September 2) It’s in my Amazon cart already for preorder. This book is so precious, and teaches kids to be themselves and have their own spark in this world! To shine bright, and never change what they love! I can’t wait to have this as a staple bedtime story in our home. This would make a beautiful gift! @mariannerichmondwriter @sourcebookskids

The I Can Say Goodnight Book by Stephanie Cohen (publish date is September 30) Created by a speech pathologist, this book is adorable and helps with early speech! My son loves this book. I always want to make sure we are introducing the right words, the right ways, and this is wonderfully put together! @learntotalkwithme @sourcebookskids

Pasta These are Fun Names to Say by Felice Ariana (publish date September 30) My kids giggled and giggled with this book! Such a fun bedtime story book. @felice.arianna

Athletes Who Changed the Game by James Buckley (publish date August 5) My son absolutely devoured this book! Such a fun book for kids to follow along with sports. A great book to hold their attention, and have fun conversations with. @buxtagram @sourcebookskids

A Little Extra Jayne by Summer Adamson (publish date September 23) Every girl needs this book. This is the most precious story, with the most quaint illustrations. The story was so heart felt. Beautifully done! @a_little_extra_jayne

A sweet story that can broaden a child's vocabulary as they work through the alphabet. Probably a bit too much for my special ed early childhood kids but a great story with cute illustrations nonetheless.

Pros: I love children's books about belonging--whether it's the topic of the book or shown in the illustrations. I think it's such an important lesson for children and hope that they will remember the importance of belonging throughout their lives. Sometimes I think children's books on the topic could be shared with adults at DEIB training. This book both teaches different aspects of belonging and the alphabet. The illustrations are also a great visual representation of belonging. I also thought it was wonderful that this book includes activities to build empathy and belonging that build upon what is learned in the book.

Cons: None that I can think of!

Thank you to NetGalley and Teacher Created Materials | Free Spirit Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was so great, for teaching children about "fitting in". At two, my son may be just below the age range, but I will definitely be revisiting it with him when he goes to school!

A book I will definitely be adding to our home library! As a former early elementary educator, I love sharing books with inclusive messages and illustrations like this one with my own children.