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Picture Books About Apologies and Forgiveness

by Patricia J. Murphy

Maya Angelou once said, “Forgiveness is the greatest gift you can give yourself. It’s not for the other person.” But, as we all know, it’s easier said than done for kids and adults alike. And since kids aren’t born knowing how to say sorry (and mean it), they need patience, modeling, and direct teaching to learn how to apologize and accept another person’s apology.

To offer a helping hand on the first steps of your child’s lifelong journey of practicing forgiving and asking for forgiveness, I’ve compiled a list of picture books that provide heartfelt examples of bears, bunnies, llamas, and humans apologizing and offering forgiveness for a variety of misunderstandings and misdeeds.

While these books on forgiveness are perfect for little ones, they also offer strategies for the entire family to experience the power of forgiving — and forgetting!

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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2021 and updated in 2025.