Ten Book Selections Encouraging Empathy and Charity in Young Readers
In a world where empathy and kindness are increasingly important, parents and educators are constantly seeking resources to nurture these qualities in children. Here, we present a collection of notable children's books that go beyond the common lists to teach empathy and kindness in creative and engaging ways.
Feeling and Showing Empathy by Emily Rose
Ideal for young advanced readers just starting to explore emotions and empathic behavior, this book gently and clearly introduces the concepts of empathy and how to express it.
Sophie Learns to Listen by Kristin Johnson
In this story, Sophie learns the importance of truly listening to others to make them feel heard and respected.
Empathy Is My Superpower! by Bryan Smith
This book encourages kids to see empathy as an actionable strength and empowers them to use it in their daily lives.
Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
This poignant story teaches children about learning generosity and understanding what truly matters beyond material things.
Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
This book celebrates cultural pride and fosters appreciation for diversity and kindness, making it a valuable addition to any child's bookshelf.
I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët
A wordless picture book, I Walk with Vanessa illustrates how small acts of kindness can combat bullying and promote inclusion.
You, Me and Empathy featuring Quinn
This book teaches kindness, compassion, and acceptance through storytelling, making it a great tool for fostering empathy in children.
The Boy and the Whale by Mordicai Gerstein
This book shows empathy toward animals and others in vulnerable situations, teaching children the importance of compassion and understanding.
A Little SPOT series by Diane Alber
The A Little SPOT series focuses on empathy, kindness, and related social-emotional skills presented in simple, relatable stories, making them suitable for a wide range of ages and reading abilities.
These books are perfect for developing empathy and kindness in children across various age groups and reading abilities. They can be used at home or in classrooms to nurture emotional intelligence and social connection.
Availability
These empathy-teaching books are available in major library systems such as the Toronto Public Library and the New York Public Library.
Encouraging Empathy at Home
In addition to reading these books, there are several ways to encourage empathy at home:
- Noticing when a friend is upset and asking, "Are you okay?"
- Using a Kindness jar or "bucket filler" board to track small acts of giving
- Letting someone else go first, even if they really want to go, teaches patience and helps kids think about what others might be feeling.
- Standing up for a friend who's being mistreated is a brave way for kids to show they understand and care about what someone else is going through.
- Pointing out kind acts seen during the day can encourage empathy.
- Saying "I'm sorry" even if it wasn't intentional teaches children that actions can affect others.
- Making a card or drawing for someone who's sick or feeling down helps kids express care and emotional understanding.
- Sharing a toy or snack with a classmate who forgot theirs teaches children they understand someone else might need help.
The joy of giving can continue after finishing books about empathy. Giving a hug or sitting quietly beside a sad sibling or friend can provide comfort. Asking "How do you think they felt?" or "What would you have done?" can help keep empathy alive.
Listening without interrupting when someone is talking shows respect and helps others feel heard and valued. Letting kids see the parent being kind, even when it's tough, models empathy.
By reading books about empathy and practicing these behaviours at home, we can help shape compassionate, thoughtful, emotionally literate children.
A Final Note
Dwayne Allen, an author who focuses on music and content marketing, shares his knowledge with kindness, providing additional resources for parents and educators. Exploring these articles can help your kids grow into compassionate, happy humans.
- These children's books, such as 'Feeling and Showing Empathy' by Emily Rose and 'Sophie Learns to Listen' by Kristin Johnson, nurture empathy and kindness, teaching young readers about understanding and expressing feelings.
- Empathy is portrayed as a valuable asset in books like 'Empathy Is My Superpower!' by Bryan Smith, which encourage kids to view empathy as a strength they can use daily.
- Books like 'Those Shoes' by Maribeth Boelts teach children about generosity and understanding the importance of non-material things.
- 'Your Name is a Song' by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow celebrates diversity and fosters appreciation for different cultures.
- 'I Walk with Vanessa' by Kerascoët and 'You, Me and Empathy' featuring Quinn are picture books that illustrate the power of small acts of kindness in promoting inclusion.
- 'The Boy and the Whale' by Mordicai Gerstein shows empathy toward animals and encourages compassion for those in vulnerable situations.
- The 'A Little SPOT' series by Diane Alber focuses on empathy, kindness, and related social-emotional skills, making them suitable for various age groups and reading abilities.
- These empathy-teaching books are available in major library systems like the Toronto Public Library and the New York Public Library.
- Encouraging empathy at home can be achieved through various means, including actively listening to friends, giving small acts of kindness, practicing patience, standing up for others, pointing out kind acts, apologizing, expressing care with cards or sharing, and promoting fairness in sharing. Additionally, resources from authors like Dwayne Allen, who focuses on music and content marketing, can provide further insights for parents and educators.
