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Developing Empathy

empathy lab
read for empathy 203 collection

Read for Empathy Booklist

Science shows that empathy is learnable and that reading is an important empathy-building tool. This collection will help parents and educators to surround children with empathy experiences, inspiring them to understand others better, and tackle societal problems like racism.” EmpathyLab Founder Miranda McKearney OBE.

The aim of the Read for Empathy collection is for schools, libraries, families and community groups to use the books to help raise a generation with strong empathy skills. Chosen by expert judges, the primary collection features 35 books for 4-11 year olds. Many of the books help readers understand the lives of those experiencing tough situations, like becoming homeless, or a refugee. Others help children build their understanding of emotions or inspire positive action towards the climate or animals or people in their community.

The 2023 Read For Empathy book collection comes at a time when empathising with others has never been needed more. As the judges said, “Books help young readers learn about empathy’s power to connect us and develop understanding of other people’s experiences and ways of life. They do not shy away from life’s difficulties, but bring hope and healing in the face of these.

You can download a PDF guide to the collection here. More information is available on the Empathy Lab website.

Empathy is our ability to understand and share someone else’s feelings. It builds stronger, kinder communities. It’s a crucial life skill that children need to learn, thrive and make a positive difference. We’re not born with a fixed quantity of empathy – it’s a skill we can all learn.

Excitingly, research shows that books are a powerful tool to develop it. When children identify with book characters, they learn to see things from other people’s point of view. As they read, they are building their empathy skills.

An expert panel has chosen forty wonderful books for children aged 3–11. Each one does a specific empathy-building job, like helping children develop new perspectives or naming and sharing emotions. They celebrate the way empathy underpins the relationships that help us feel seen and safe. They offer powerful insights into different ways of life and how it might feel to be homeless or caught up in war. Please use them to inspire children to turn feelings of empathy into action – in their homes, schools and communities.

Developing Empathy

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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