Life Books for Kids
Every child deserves stories that help them navigate the world around them. This collection features stories about everyday life experiences for readers ages 5 to 9. Each book explores real-world situations, daily routines, and relatable moments through engaging narratives that children can connect with.
A Tall Tale
The girl in the story is made out of air and is mostly invisible. One day, she decides to go to school and starts to draw, scaring a boy half to death. The boy decides to paint her face so that he can see her better.
Bird in a Cage
The boy, Ben, loves birds and his dad gets him a new one each day. One day, Ben notices that his new birds don’t want to sing and he feels sad. He asks his dad to let the birds go and they do.
There Are Ants!
The ants are looking for food and they find some in the cupboard. They follow a smell to find more food and it leads them to the person’s snack. They take the food and leave.
Butter's Birthday
Bon’s family are too busy to play with him during summer break, and he feels pretty sad about it. With the help of his parrot, Butter, will Bon be able to have fun?
Fill It Up!
A woman is trying to find water to drink, but all of the sources near her house are dry. She eventually finds a cloud that has brought rain and fills up all of the sources.
The Best!
Jim’s pals think his stuff is the best and put it back. Oh no! Did they miss one of his mum’s things? It is not in his bed. It is not by his lamp. Where is it? Jim’s pup finds it! The pup is the best.
A Boy and His Hat
I have a hat that I like to wear when I ride my pet bull. One day, the wind took my hat and I was sad. But then I found it again and all was well.
All of Us
I am happy that our house can accommodate all of us, even though it can be a bit chaotic at times. I especially appreciate it during storms or when it’s dark outside.
My Choices
Every day, I make a lot of choices. These choices shape not only my day, but the weeks and months ahead. They may even have weight for what happens in my future.
The Magic Loom
After lunch, Kim’s mother likes to sing and work at her loom. The sounds of her mother’s singing soothes her as she drifts off for her afternoon nap. A noise wakes her.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do life skills books help children navigate everyday situations?
Life skills books present familiar scenarios — sharing, managing disappointment, trying new things — through characters children can identify with. Research on how children learn from narrative fiction (Springer, 2022) found that children naturally absorb social and practical lessons from stories because they imagine themselves in the characters’ situations.
What topics do these life books cover?
The collection includes stories about growing up, daily routines, responsibility, kindness, problem-solving, and navigating emotions like frustration and courage. Each book uses decodable text so children practise phonics while engaging with themes that are relevant to their own lives.
Are life skills picture books good for building empathy?
Yes. Stories that show characters dealing with real-life challenges help children practise perspective-taking in a safe context. A study by Li et al. (2025) found that social-themed picture books significantly improve prosocial behaviour in young children, suggesting that reading about life situations genuinely influences how children treat others.
What formats are these life books available in?
Books are available to read on the Bookbot website, with many titles free to access. Depending on the title, children may also find options such as PDF downloads, printable versions, audiobooks, or read-aloud mode with word-by-word highlighting that follows along with the text.
What reading levels are available?
The collection covers levels from simple CVC words for beginning readers through consonant blends, digraphs, and multi-syllable patterns. Scarborough’s Reading Rope model (2001) shows that reading comprehension develops alongside decoding skill, and life-themed books build both strands simultaneously. Filter by grade level or check the scope and sequence to find the right starting point.