I Can Help in the Neighborhood by David Hyde Costello

This charming picture book about community helpers and neighborhood kindness follows a chain of animal friends who assist one another through simple, everyday challenges. When a lost duckling needs help, Rabbit steps in, beginning a cycle of paying it forward that includes a pigeon, a raccoon, and other friendly creatures. The story gently demonstrates how small acts of compassion create connections, making it an excellent tool for discussing empathy and cooperation with preschoolers. Its clear cause-and-effect narrative is perfectly paced for young listeners just beginning to understand social dynamics.

David Hyde Costello’s expressive animal characters and warm illustrations make the concept of mutual aid tangible and engaging for this age group. The repetitive structure of problem-and-solution provides comforting predictability while reinforcing the book’s core message about interdependence. Parents seeking stories that model pro-social behavior will find this an invaluable addition to their read-aloud rotation, one that naturally sparks conversations about how even the smallest creatures can make a big difference in their community.