As a primary school teacher and keen advocate of reading for pleasure in my classroom, I am a firm believer that reading books can help develop empathy in children and adults. This is a fantastic collection, lots of which I have already enjoyed and others which I will definitely be picking up for my school library.
The 2020 #ReadforEmpathy Book Collections from @EmpathyLabUK are announced today and feature 50 superb books; 33 for 4-11 year olds and 17 for 12-16 year olds.
“Society faces an empathy crisis. But research shows that 98% of us can improve our empathy skills and that in books we have a hugely practical tool. This collection can play a powerful role in helping raise a generation of empathic citizens, story by story.” – Miranda McKearney, EmpathyLab’s founder
Some illuminate the experience of people from a range of cultures or life circumstances. Others help children explore emotions, so they can understand how other people feel. Several reflect stories of our time, such as the refugee experience, or coping with anxiety. All are engaging and thought provoking.
The collections are available to order from Peters via https://www.peters.co.uk/empathy2020 or can be purchased from your local independent bookshop. Click https://www.booksellers.org.uk/bookshopsearch to find your nearest shop.
Each collection has its own Read for Empathy Guide with a synopsis of all of the books, top tips for sharing stories and more information about #EmpathyDay which is on 9 June 2020.
Teachers, librarians, parents can download your FREE guides by visiting https://www.empathylab.uk/2020-read-for-empathy-collections
Book Craic 