How to Choose Books That Support Your Family’s Values
- Valerie
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
Insights from a public-school momma and 3 questions to ask before handing your child a book.
Back‑to‑school season always feels like a fresh notebook — crisp, hopeful, full of possibility. It’s also the time when parents start thinking about reading routines again: bedtime stories, independent reading, library trips, and the stack of books that somehow multiplies on the kitchen counter.
But with so many children’s books available today — some beautiful, some confusing, some downright chaotic — parents often ask:
“How do I choose books that support our family’s values without being overly protective?”
After interviewing dozens of Christian children’s authors on the BookWorthy Podcast, I’ve gathered some simple, freeing insights that can help you choose books with confidence, joy, and wisdom. Plus a bit of my own experience as a Christian momma, with kids in the public school system.
Here’s what I’ve learned.
1. Start With What Family Values You Want to Cultivate, Not What You Want to Avoid
This is one of the most freeing insights I received as my oldest son was set to enter kindergarten: Don’t build your life around fear.
Build it around formation. Who do you want them to be when they're older, and how you can build into that identity and character within your home?
Instead of asking,
“What should we stay away from?”
ask,
“What do we want to grow?”
Do you want to cultivate:
courage
kindness
discernment
imagination
empathy
faith
resilience
Choose books that nourish those things.
2. Look for Stories That Celebrate What God Calls Good
You don’t need a theology degree to spot this. Just ask: “What does this story say is good?” Stories that support your family’s values tend to honor:
honesty
sacrifice
forgiveness
loyalty
beauty
truth
hope
Stories that undermine your values tend to celebrate:
self‑worship
cruelty
deceit
despair
revenge
nihilism
You’re not looking for perfection — you’re looking for direction.
3. Pay Attention to the Story’s Moral Center
Every story has a moral center — a gravitational pull toward what it believes is right.
Ask: “What kind of person does this story want my child to admire?”
If the answer is:
the brave one
the kind one
the self‑sacrificing one
the loyal one
the truth‑telling one
…you’re in good territory.
If the story celebrates:
the selfish one
the cruel one
the deceitful one
the “I do what I want” one
…it may not align with your family’s values.
4. Choose Books That Invite Conversation, Not Just Consumption
One of my favorite insights from a BookWorthy guest was this:
“The best books don’t end when you close them — they end when the conversation does.”
Choose books that spark:
questions
wonder
curiosity
reflection
connection
If a book gives you something to talk about at dinner, in the car, or during bedtime snuggles, it’s doing good work.
5. Don’t Fear Hard Topics — Just Guide Them
Many parents worry about books that touch on grief, fear, injustice, or loss. But Christian authors consistently remind me: Kids don’t need to be shielded from every hard thing — they need to be shepherded through it.
A book that handles hard topics with:
honesty
hope
compassion
redemption
…can actually strengthen your child’s faith and emotional resilience.
You don’t need to avoid hard stories.
You just need to walk through them together.
6. Remember: You Are the Most Important Filter
Every author I’ve interviewed has said some version of this: “Parents matter more than any book.”
Your presence.
Your conversations.
Your discernment.
Your willingness to read with your kids.
You don’t need to catch everything.
You don’t need to pre‑read every book.
You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need to be present.
God will use the rest.
A Final Word for Back‑to‑School Parents
As you choose books for the new school year, remember: You’re not choosing books to impress anyone. You’re choosing books to shape your child’s heart.
Choose stories that celebrate goodness.
Choose stories that whisper truth.
Choose stories that spark wonder.
Choose stories that help your child see God’s goodness in everyday life.
And choose them with joy — not fear.
You’re doing better than you think.
Find ways to volunteer in your school or public library. Getting to know the librarians and choosing the books that are available at public schools is the first step in understanding and suggesting good books for the shelves.
Here are
3 Questions to Ask Before and After Handing Your Child a Book: A simple, grace‑filled guide for Christian parents
1. What does this story say is good?
Look at what the story rewards, not just what characters say.
2. Who does this story want my child to admire?
Courage, kindness, sacrifice, truth — or something else?
3. How does this story handle brokenness?
Forgiveness? Revenge? Redemption? Despair?
You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need to be present.
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