10 Best Books About Honesty for Kids

Honesty is one of the most valuable lessons we can teach children, and books are a fantastic way to convey this message. Books about honesty for kids help them understand the importance of truthfulness early in life.

Research showed that children who observed a peer confessing to a misdeed and receiving praise were more likely to show honest behavior [*]. Moreover, moral stories can help teach core values such as honesty to young children [*].

These highlight the importance of modeling honesty through stories and everyday interactions.

10 Books About Honesty for Kids

Here are a list of books that you can use at home or in school to encourage honesty in children:

1. The Berenstain Bears and the Truth by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Brother and Sister Bear learn a hard lesson about honesty when they break their mother’s favorite lamp and try to cover it up. This classic story shows children the importance of owning up to their mistakes.

The book shows how telling the truth can help avoid unnecessary guilt and worry. It also highlights the role of parents in guiding their children toward honesty.

Price: $4.99 on Amazon

2. Lying Up a Storm by Julia Cook

Levi often stretches the truth, but when his lies begin to spiral out of control, he realizes the power of honesty. With the guidance of his parents, Levi learns how telling the truth strengthens trust and builds better relationships.

The book shows children how dishonesty can complicate simple situations. Through Levi’s journey, kids see that admitting the truth is always the best approach, even when it feels difficult.

Price: $9.23 on Amazon, $10.95 on Barnes and Noble

3. Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie by Laura Rankin

Ruthie finds a small toy camera and falsely claims it as her own. As her guilt grows, she learns an important lesson about honesty and the relief that comes from telling the truth and taking responsibility for her actions.

The book portrays the emotional impact of dishonesty and helps children understand the weight of lying and the value of honesty.

Price: $11.89 on Amazon, $18.99 on Barnes and Noble

4. A Big Fat Enormous Lie by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

This humorous book follows a boy who tells a small lie, which turns into a huge imaginary creature that follows him around. Eventually, he learns that the only way to make the monster disappear is by confessing the truth.

The story cleverly illustrates how lies can feel overwhelming and grow out of control. It reassures children that honesty can free them from guilt and help rebuild trust with others.

Price: $7.99 on Amazon, $7.99 on Barnes and Noble

5. The Empty Pot by Demi

In this beautifully illustrated book, every child in the kingdom was given a seed by the Emperor with the promise that the most successful gardener would become the next ruler. Ping, the story’s protagonist, was known as a green thumb.

Despite Ping’s best efforts, his seed does not grow, unlike the others. He learns that honesty and integrity are more valuable than personal success. The story’s deep moral lesson encourages children to always choose truthfulness over deception. It also promotes the message that doing one’s best is more important than winning through dishonesty.

Price: $7.71 on Amazon

6. Howard B. Wigglebottom and the Monkey on His Back: A Tale About Telling the Truth by Howard Binkow

Howard struggles to tell the truth until he finds a monkey on his back after lying to his Papa. The story explains how lying can weigh on a person’s conscience and make them feel burdened.

The book encourages children to express themselves honestly, which helps them feel good about themselves and have positive relationships with others. 

Price: $14.29 on Amazon, $15.00 on Barnes and Noble

7. Honesty is My Superpower: A Kid’s Book About Telling the Truth and Overcoming Lying by Alicia Ortego

In this book, little Tommy learns about the negative effects of lying from his brother Nao. They have a secret “Truth Sign”, which reminded each other to always make the right choice — which is to tell the truth.

The story is suitable for very young readers, as it can help them understand why honesty is the right choice, and the consequences of lying. They will learn to be accountable for their actions and appreciate the value of truthfulness.

Price: $15.48 on Amazon, $19.99 on Barnes and Noble

8. The Boy Who Cried Bigfoot! by Scott Mag

A creative retelling of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," this book follows a boy who tells everybody that he saw Bigfoot. People came, but they didn’t see the creature. So when the boy tells everyone that Bigfoot borrowed his bike and dog, nobody believed him.

The humor in the book make it an entertaining read for young readers. Kids will see how repeatedly lying can lead others to doubt them, even when they eventually tell the truth.

Price: $12.99 on Amazon

9. Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big by Berkeley Breathed

Edwurd tells a massive fib that quickly spirals out of control. This story is told from the perspective of his sister, who observes Edwurd’s lies. The story shows the importance of being honest from the start and how small lies can snowball to difficult situations.

The exaggerated storytelling helps the reader understand how dishonesty can create unnecessary complications.

Price: $10.22 on Amazon, $10.99 on Barnes and Noble  

10. Betty Bunny Didn't Do It by Michael Kaplan

Betty Bunny is a charming but mischievous character who has difficulty telling the truth. When she breaks a lamp, she blames the Tooth Fairy, but soon realizes that lying only gets her into more trouble.

This book tells readers about the consequences of dishonesty in a humorous way. The playful storytelling makes it easier for kids to understand that taking responsibility for their actions is always the best choice.

Price: $17.00 on Amazon

The Bottom Line

Honesty is a fundamental value that helps children build trust, develop strong relationships, and grow into responsible individuals. These children's books about honesty introduce kids to the concept of truthfulness and open up important discussions about the importance of honesty in everyday life.

You can reinforce these lessons at home and in the classroom and help kids develop a strong moral foundation. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or another trusted adult in a child’s life, you can find a book on this list that can make teaching honesty more effective. Incorporating honesty activities for kids or character education posters alongside these books can make learning about truthfulness even more effective.

References:

1. Ma F, Heyman GD, Jing C, Fu Y, Compton BJ, Xu F, Lee K. Promoting honesty in young children through observational learning. J Exp Child Psychol. 2018 Mar;167:234-245. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2017.11.003. Epub 2017 Nov 28. PMID: 29195112.
2. Betawi IA. Children for integrity: The influence of moral stories on pre-schoolers' integrity values. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2023 Apr;28(2):541-553. doi: 10.1177/13591045221094694. Epub 2022 May 26. PMID: 35616359.