Why Teach Values Through Literature?

Stories are a beautiful way to teach valuable lessons. Stories take away our defenses because events are happening to fictional characters. We are pulled into the events and feel for the characters. When we do, the characters can teach us through the consequences of their actions. It gives us a chance to learn from their mistakes without us making them ourselves.

A child may resist a lecture about honesty, courage, forgiveness, or kindness. But let that same child encounter a character who lies, and suddenly the child has an opportunity to see where dishonesty leads.

We can ask, “Was that a good choice?”

The child isn’t being lectured. We’re talking about a character in a story.

Then we can ask, “What would you have done?”

Now we’re talking about the child’s own values.

That is the power of literature. Stories create a safe place to wrestle with difficult questions.

Jesus understood the power of stories. Much of His teaching came through parables. Rather than simply telling people what to believe, He often placed them inside a story and allowed them to wrestle with its meaning.

Children can learn in the same way.

Criteria for Selecting Children’s Books

When choosing books to teach lessons, I prefer to look at the classics. They are timeless, and the lessons are often invaluable. Because these books have stood the test of time, we know the stories have entertained children over generations, and the lessons haven’t grown outdated.

Many of the classics also contain Christian values, sometimes because of the Christian culture in which they were written. Heidi, for example, contains themes of forgiveness and redemption. Heidi’s love helps restore her grandfather, and the story even draws on the biblical story of the Prodigal Son.

The Swiss Family Robinson was written by Johann David Wyss, whose story follows a family relying on God’s provision as they survive on a deserted island. The family regularly gives thanks to God for what He provides.

These stories weren’t written as children’s sermons. That’s part of what makes them so useful.

The story comes first. The lesson emerges from the story.

If you choose newer books, do a little research. Read the book yourself or read reliable summaries and reviews. Ask:

• What lessons are being taught?
• What choices do the characters make?
• What happens as a result of those choices?
• What values does the story celebrate?
• Do those values align with our family’s values?
• More importantly, do they align with Scripture?

Not every book will teach everything we want our children to learn. That’s okay. We don’t need every story to be perfect. We need to be intentional about what we put in front of our children and prepared to discuss what they encounter.

Don’t Just Read the Story—Discuss It

Reading the book is only the beginning.

One of my favorite ways to teach values through literature is to ask questions after—or sometimes even during—the story.

What did the character do?

Why did he do it?

Was it a good choice?

How did that choice affect other people?

What would you have done?

Has anything like that ever happened to you?

What does the Bible say about this?

These questions turn reading into a conversation.

I don’t want my children merely to know that a character made a good or bad choice. I want them to understand why it was good or bad and to begin thinking about how they would respond in a similar situation.

That distinction matters.

I’m not simply trying to give my children a list of rules. I want to help them develop the ability to recognize truth, evaluate choices, understand consequences, and make wise decisions when I’m not there to tell them what to do.

Five Classics, Five Opportunities to Teach Values

Treasure Island — Integrity and Courage

Jim Hawkins finds himself surrounded by people who are deceptive, selfish, and willing to betray others to get what they want. Yet Jim repeatedly has opportunities to choose courage and loyalty rather than simply looking out for himself.

That allows parents to ask, “What would you do if doing the right thing put you in danger?” Is courage the absence of fear, or doing what is right even when we’re afraid?

Heidi — Forgiveness and Redemption

Heidi provides a beautiful picture of how love and forgiveness can transform a hardened heart. Heidi’s grandfather has withdrawn from society because of bitterness and painful experiences. Heidi doesn’t lecture him into changing. Her presence, love, and childlike faith help soften his heart and reconnect him with others.

The story can lead to questions such as: Can love change someone? Is it possible to forgive someone who has hurt us? What happens when we refuse to forgive?

Heidi reads the story of the Prodigal Son to her grandfather, and it impacts him. He thought he was unworthy of love, but through this story and Heidi’s own love, he sees that redemption is possible.

A Little Princess — Character When Circumstances Change

Sara Crewe’s circumstances change dramatically. She goes from living a privileged life at boarding school to becoming a servant after her father dies and his fortune disappears.

Yet Sara tries to maintain her kindness, imagination, generosity, and dignity even when she has almost nothing.

That raises an important question for our children: Who are you when you don’t get what you want?

It is easy to be kind when life is going well. Sara shows us that character is revealed when circumstances become difficult.

Sara sacrifices for someone else, giving a beggar food when she is hungry herself. It’s easy to be generous when you have much, but much harder when you have little. Sara demonstrates true character and generosity, giving out of her own need, much like the Biblical story of the Widow’s Mite. Jesus commended a widow who gave all she had, while others gave from their abundance.

The Secret Garden — Transformation

Mary Lennox begins the story as a selfish, unpleasant, and lonely child. Through friendship, responsibility, nature, and caring for the secret garden, she begins to change.

The transformation is one of the most valuable lessons in the book: people can change.

Parents can ask, “Why was Mary unhappy at the beginning?” What caused her to change? Who helped her change? Can we choose to become different people?

The garden itself provides a wonderful picture for children. Something neglected and seemingly dead can be cared for until life begins to appear again.

That can open a conversation about our own hearts. What happens when we nurture something good? What happens when we neglect it?

Pollyanna — Gratitude and Choosing Joy

Pollyanna’s “glad game” can be more than just a cute idea for children. It can become a conversation about gratitude and perspective. Pollyanna doesn’t pretend that bad things aren’t bad. She chooses to look for something good even in difficult circumstances.

Parents can ask, “Does being grateful mean pretending everything is good?” What’s the difference between gratitude and ignoring problems? How can looking for something good change the way we respond to difficult circumstances?

This connects beautifully with Paul’s instruction to give thanks in all circumstances. Pollyanna gives children a story-based way to begin thinking about what that might look like.

The “glad game” was based on rejoicing scriptures. It was taught by Pollyanna’s missionary father, who counted more than 800 references to rejoicing and gladness in the Bible.

Stories Give Children Something to Remember

These books illustrate why I prefer teaching values through stories. I could tell my children, “Be courageous.” But Jim Hawkins gives them a picture of courage. I could tell them, “Forgive people.” Heidi gives them a picture of forgiveness and redemption. I could tell them, “Character matters more than circumstances.” Sara Crewe gives them a picture of that truth. I could tell them, “People can change.” Mary Lennox gives them a picture of transformation. I could tell them, “Be grateful.” Pollyanna gives them a picture of choosing gratitude and joy.

The story gives the lesson a face.

Years later, a child may not remember the lecture we gave about courage. But they may remember Jim Hawkins.

They may not remember everything we said about forgiveness. But they may remember Heidi and her grandfather.

That’s the beauty of literature. A story gives children something to remember when the lesson becomes necessary.

Stories create a safe place for children to wrestle with difficult questions.

Choose Books With Imperfect Characters

Perfect characters aren’t very interesting—and they’re not very useful for teaching children.

Children need to see characters who make mistakes, struggle with temptation, become afraid, get angry, make selfish choices, and sometimes make things right.

Why?

Because children make mistakes too.

When a child sees a character struggle with jealousy, fear, pride, dishonesty, or selfishness, the child can recognize something of himself in that character. The story gives us a way to talk about those struggles without immediately making the conversation personal.

“What do you think she should have done?”

is sometimes a much easier question for a child to answer than:

“Why did you do that?”

Stories allow us to approach difficult character issues indirectly. Then, once the child begins thinking about the character, the conversation can naturally move toward real life.

Look for Consequences

One of the most valuable things stories can show children is that choices have consequences.

• A character lies and loses someone’s trust.
• A character is selfish and loses a friendship.
• A character shows courage and protects someone vulnerable.
• A character forgives and begins to restore a broken relationship.
• A character refuses to give up and eventually succeeds.

These consequences help children understand that character isn’t just about following rules. Our choices affect other people.

And sometimes stories show something even more important: doing the right thing doesn’t always produce an immediate reward.

A character may sacrifice something and suffer because of it. A character may forgive someone who doesn’t deserve forgiveness. A character may tell the truth even when lying would be easier.

Those are opportunities to talk about biblical values that go deeper than “good choices lead to good things.”

Connect the Story to Scripture

As a Christian parent, I don’t want to stop with the moral of the story.

Does the story echo something Scripture teaches?

• A story about sacrifice can lead us to talk about Christ.
• A story about forgiveness can lead us to the Lord’s Prayer.
• A story about loving an enemy can lead us to Jesus’ command in Matthew 5:44.
• A story about courage can lead us to Joshua 1:9.
• A story about caring for someone who is hurting can lead us to the Good Samaritan.
• The story gives us a bridge.

We can start with the character and eventually arrive at Scripture.

But there is an important caution here: we shouldn’t force a biblical lesson into every story.

Sometimes a story teaches something that doesn’t completely align with Scripture. Sometimes it teaches a mixture of truth and error. That’s not necessarily a reason to throw the book away.

It may be an opportunity for an even better conversation.

We can say, “The character did this, but what does the Bible say about that?”

Now our children aren’t simply absorbing a message from a book. They are learning to compare what they encounter with God’s Word.

Create a Reading Routine

Choose a regular time to read with your kids.

We often read as part of the bedtime routine. Keep it as regular as you can.

It doesn’t have to be elaborate. You don’t need a special reading chair or an hour of uninterrupted time. Even fifteen or twenty minutes can become an important part of family life.

When our children were younger, we would snuggle together and read. Sometimes we read only one book. Other times, we’d read a few or even the same one again.

One of my favorite family memories is reading Charlotte’s Web together, a chapter at a time. We weren’t simply completing a book. We were sharing an experience.

That’s what I want parents to remember.

The goal isn’t to get through more books. The goal is to let good books get into our children.

Make Reading a Conversation

Don’t feel like you have to interrupt every page with a question. Sometimes the best thing you can do is enjoy the story together.

But when a natural opportunity appears, take it.

If a character makes an interesting choice, pause.

If something surprises your child, ask what they think.

If your child becomes angry at a character, ask why.

If your child admires someone, ask what they admire about that person.

And listen.

The conversation may go somewhere you didn’t expect.

That’s okay.

In fact, that’s often the best part.

Our children are developing their own understanding of right and wrong. We have the privilege of helping them think through those ideas while they are still young and while they still want to talk with us.

Let Stories Become Part of Family Life

Over time, something wonderful happens when you read this way.

Stories become shorthand for values.

You may encounter a situation in everyday life and say, “Remember what happened to Sara?”

Or, “That reminds me of what Charlotte did for Wilbur.”

Or, “What would Heidi do?”

The story has moved beyond the pages of the book. It has become part of your family’s shared language.

That is one of the reasons I love teaching values through literature.

We can’t always be beside our children when they face difficult choices. We can’t always tell them what to do.

But we can give them stories that help them recognize courage when they see it, understand compassion when it is needed, recognize selfishness when it tempts them, and remember that forgiveness is possible.

A good story doesn’t simply entertain a child. It gives a child a picture of who they can become.

Start With One Book

You don’t need to build a huge library.

Choose one good book.

Read it together.

Talk about the characters.

Ask questions.

Listen to your child’s answers.

Look for opportunities to connect the story to Scripture and to everyday life.

Then pick up another book.

Over the years, those stories will accumulate—not just on the bookshelf, but in your child’s imagination and character.

And someday, when your child faces a difficult choice, you may not be there to answer.

But perhaps a story will be.

And perhaps, through that story, your child will remember something you talked about together.

That is why teaching values through literature is worth the time.

We aren’t just raising children who know how to read. We’re helping raise people who know how to live.