Hunger Book List for Students K-5
The Good Shepherd Food Bank was established in 1981 as a non-profit organization working to eliminate hunger in the state of Maine. We believe no one is too young to begin learning about hunger in our communities.
Use these picture books to facilitate discussions with kids of all ages.
- How Full is Your Bucket?
- Demonstrates the importance of being kind to others and building each other up. Each of us comes from a different place, depending on our interactions with others.
- One Green Apple
- We all are different, but diversity makes us stronger. This book emphasizes the importance of inclusion.
- Maddi’s Fridge
- Explores what childhood hunger is and how kids can help each other.
- Poverty and Hunger
- A book explaining the concepts of hunger and poverty for kids.
- Meeting Needs in Our Community
- For upper elementary. Introduces the food cycle, how our markets can result in food insecurity, and what we can do to help.
- Don’t Waste Your Food
- A book about food waste and how reducing food waste can increase food security.
- Lulu and the Hunger Monster
- This book uses personification to demonstrate what hunger might feel like and also gives background as to how a food bank works.
- Saturday at the Food Pantry
- Explains what it might be like to utilize a food pantry and breaks down stigma.
- The Good Garden
- How to utilize sustainable farming practices, and also shares how some people exploit farmers.
- Rah Rah Radishes
- A chant book highlighting different vegetables.
- One Hen
- This book is a story of how one boy’s idea to use leftover money from a community loan helped his community to flourish.