Read for Empathy 2019 primary and secondary book collection titles announced

January 17th 2019

Empathy is a human super-power which helps us all understand each other better. It is also an essential social and emotional skill, crucial if children are to thrive. We’re not born with a fixed quantity of empathy – it’s a skill we can learn. Excitingly, research shows that books are a powerful tool to develop it, because in identifying with book characters, children learn to see things from other points of view. So, when you read with children you can build their empathy skills at the same time. EmpathyLab have announced the titles included in this year’s Read for Empathy book collections, a selection of 30 titles for 4-11 year olds and 15 titles for 11-16 year olds.   Read for Empathy book collection for 4–11 year olds Download the 2019 Read for Empathy primary guide here. Picture books and poetry

Elmer – by David McKee The Last Chip – by Duncan Beedie Odd Dog Out – by Rob Biddulph Joy – by Corrinne Averiss If All the World Were… - by Hoseph Coelho The Day War Came – by Nicola Davies Is it a Mermaid? – by Candy Gourlay Cyril and Pat – by Emily Gravett Sweep – by Louise Greig Along Came a Different – by Tom McLaughlin Ruby’s Worry – by Tom Percival A Great Big Cuddle – by Michael Rosen Me and My Fear – by Francesca Sanna How to be a Lion – by Ed Vere Peace and Me – by Ali Winter

Novels and graphic novels

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane – by Kate DiCamillo The Tale of Angelino Brown – by David Almond Not As We Know It – by Tom Avery Jelly – by Jo Cotterill The Bubble Boy – by Stewart Foster Ella on the Outside – by Cath Howe Love from Anna Hibiscus! – by Atinuke Beyond the Bright Sea – by Lauren Wolk Boy in the Tower – by Polly Ho-Yen Roller Girl – by Victoria Jamieson The White Fox – by Jackie Morris The Boy at the Back of the Class – by Onjali Q. Rauf The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree – by Paola Peretti The Light Jar – by Lisa Thompson The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle – by Victoria Williamson

  Read for Empathy book collection for 11–16 year olds Download the 2019 Read for Empathy secondary guide here. Graphic novels, poetry and novels

Nough & Crosses – by Malorie Blackman Rising Starts – by Ruth Awolola, Victoria Adukwei Bulley, Abigail Cook, Jay Hulme, Amina Jama Booked – by Kwame Alexander Alpha – by Bessora & Barroux Everything All at Once – by Steven Camden aka Polar Bear Car Wash Wish – by Sita Brahmachari A Change is Gonna Come – by Mary Bello, Aisha Bushby, Tanya Byrne, Inua Ellams,  Catherine Johnson, Patrice Lawrence, Ayisha Malik, Irfan Master, Musa Okwonga, Yasmin Rahman, Phoebe Roy, Nikesh Shukla Rosie Loves Jack – by Mel Darbon The Pavee and the Buffer Girl – by Siobhan Dowd Boy 87 – by Ele Fountain Indigo Donut – by Patrice Lawrence Turtles All the Way Down – by John Green No Fixed Address – by Susin Nielsen Mike – by Andrew Norriss Running on Empty – by S. E. Durrant

EmpathyLab now offers training and Empathy Day toolkits for libraries interested in building young people’s empathy, literacy and social activism. To find out more, go to www.empathylab.uk.