Close

Encourage Safety Skills with Fun Picture Books

A graphic that reads "Picture Books for Safety Month" in an octagon the color of a stop sign, with other street signs in the background

Communities all over the country recognize National Safety Month each June. Picture books are a fun way to teach personal and community safety skills in ways that make kids laugh and listen.

The cover of the picture book "How Do Dinosaurs Stay Safe?" Which includes a large striped dinosaur doing tricks on a bike while a woman yells at him

How Do Dinosaurs Stay Safe?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

Giant, colorful, feathery, silly dinosaurs learn about everything from safely crossing the street to dialing 9-1-1 in this rhyming story that reminds kids they can always make good choices (and will make them laugh, too.)

No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons), by Jean E. Pendziwol, illustrated by Martine Gourbault

 

A little girl befriends a dragon at the beach and brings him home for a snack. But when he sneezes, he sets the kitchen on fire! The girl teaches the dragon how to safely respond to a fire.


Check out this great video from the public library in Oakville, Ontario, featuring a firefighter explaining his equipment and reading the book — and videos of other firefighters reading the book in Farsi, Spanish, Chinese, and French, as well as a version translated into ASL.

The cover of the picture book "No Dragons for Tea," which includes a little girl and a big green dragon holding a teddy bear and pouring tea
The cover of the picture book "Our Pool," which includes many people in colorful bathing suits floating in a bright blue pool

Our Pool, by Lucy Ruth Cummins

 

People of all ages from many backgrounds celebrate their beloved neighborhood pool in this colorful book. Along with encouraging pool and sun safety, the story can help kids feel comfortable and confident when they’re learning how to swim.

 

Runaway Signs, by Joan Holub, illustrated by Alison Farrell


When the stick-figure kids on a School Crossing sign get tired of being stuck in one place, they go on an adventure! But when they convince other signs to join them, things go terribly wrong. This story will teach kids to notice all sorts of safety and information signs.

The cover of the picture book "Runaway Signs," which includes a stop sign, a construction zone, and many other street signs running away down the road together
The cover of the picture book "Playtown: Emergency," which includes many bright Lee colored emergency vehicles and emergency workers

Playtown: Emergency, by Roger Priddy


Little ones love busy lift-the-flap books. In this bright board book, they’ll meet rescuers and helpers who work all around Playtown, explore a fire station and a hospital, and check out exciting vehicles like fire ladder trucks and rescue helicopters.

For more helpful resources, check out “100 Children’s Books to Support Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery” from ChildCare Aware of America.