ABCs for the Soul A Journey of Rhyme for Little Minds

A social-emotional alphabet book with 26 words, short rhymes, and questions to explore together.

The cover of ABCs for the Soul: a smiling girl sits cross-legged with her arms raised in front of a soft pastel rainbow

A Gold Medal winner in the 2026 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards

A Finalist in the 2026 Independent Publisher Book Awards
A child holds ABCs for the Soul open to A is for Abundance and B is for Beliefs A child holds ABCs for the Soul open to I is for Intention and J is for Joy A child holds ABCs for the Soul open to M is for Meditation and N is for Nature A child holds ABCs for the Soul open to U is for Universe and V is for Vibration

An alphabet with a little more in it

We wanted our children to have words that made them feel, not what they eat.

Each letter has three parts:

  1. A word, such as Kindness or Gratitude
  2. A short rhyme
  3. A question to help connect with each other

Rhymes that are easy to remember

We chose rhyme so the words would be easy to say aloud.

  • The A is for Abundance page: a child with arms raised in front of a rainbow

    A is for Abundance

    “Which means an overflowing of love, support, guidance, and joy. Now that’s a word worth knowing.”

  • The G is for Gratitude page: a child holding up a thank-you banner

    G is for Gratitude

    “Which means saying ‘thank you’ for all the blessings in your life, and your loved ones too!”

  • The K is for Kindness page: a child sharing an ice cream with a friend who dropped theirs

    K is for Kindness

    “Which feels so good to be. Kindness is sharing, caring and loving; it unites us all in harmony.”

  • The S is for Self-Love page: a smiling child hugging a heart, surrounded by hearts

    S is for Self-Love

    “The most important love of all. Loving yourself just as you are makes you feel big instead of small.”

A question for every letter

At the back of the book are the Calming Conversation Starters, one for each word. These are not quiz questions. They help families talk about each word, with no right answers.

  • “What is a positive belief you hold about yourself?”

    B is for Beliefs

  • “Tell me about a time this week when you felt joyful (super happy).”

    J is for Joy

  • “What three things do you love most about yourself?”

    S is for Self-Love

  • “What is a way you can bring more calm (Zen) into your day?”

    Z is for Zen

How it works

  1. Choose one word.
  2. Read the rhyme together.
  3. Ask the question from the back.
  4. Let your child lead the conversation.

The base of our book

Self-love and inner awareness

Words like beliefs, worth, self-love, and intention give families gentle ways to talk about a child’s inner world.

A smiling child hugs a pink heart, surrounded by floating hearts

Respect and empathy for others

Words like kindness, love, forgiveness, and open-mindedness can help families talk about caring for and respecting others.

A boy offers his ice cream to a girl who has dropped hers and helps her up

Belonging and connection

Words like togetherness, peace, nature, and universe can help families talk about where we all belong.

A child in a space suit floats among planets and stars

Pictures that reflect many kinds of children and families

Adrian drew children with a range of skin tones, hair textures, abilities, and family structures. We wanted more children to see a person or family that felt familiar.

A smiling child in an orange headband waves and holds up a drawing Two children chat and smile, with speech bubbles above them A happy girl in blue overalls floats among flowers, stars, and circles A child sleeps peacefully in bed next to a teddy bear A smiling child hugs a pink heart, surrounded by floating hearts

From birth to age 13

  • Up to age 5

    The rhymes and pictures come first. We let them point to the pictures, ask questions, and talk about what they notice. The questions can be made simpler: “What made you happy today?”

  • Ages 6 to 8

    Read the rhyme together, then try the question. At this age, the question can help children connect the word to something in their own lives.

  • Ages 9 and up

    The rhymes may feel young, but the questions can still help older children talk about their own experiences.

  • For parents

    We sometimes come back to these questions ourselves.

Book details

Written byNatalie Cooper
Illustrated byAdrian Cooper
FormatBoard book
Pages32
PublishedJune 1, 2025, by Olive Tree Tales
ISBN978-1-7389732-0-0
Reading age0 to 7, with questions that can also work for children up to age 13
RecognitionGold Medal, 2026 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards
Finalist, 2026 Independent Publisher Book Awards

Questions parents ask

What age is ABCs for the Soul for?

It is for ages 0 to 7. Little ones enjoy the pictures and rhymes, and families can use the questions with older children too.

Is ABCs for the Soul a board book?

Yes. It is a 32-page board book, published by Olive Tree Tales in June 2025.

What awards has ABCs for the Soul won?

It won a Gold Medal in the 2026 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards and was named a Finalist in the 2026 Independent Publisher Book Awards.

Do we need to read it in order?

No. We usually let our children pick the letter. We often read one word and ask one question, then stop there.

Where are the questions?

They are at the back of the book in a section called Calming Conversation Starters, one for each of the 26 words.

Where can I find the book?

ABCs for the Soul is available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.

Find the book on Amazon