EmpathyLab has announced its 2022 Read for Empathy collection on 26 January – 60 diverse, empathy-rich books for 4-16 year olds . These can be used in homes, schools and libraries to build children’s empathy skills and understanding, and give them new horizon-widening experiences. Look out for the free downloadable Guides, here.
“The pandemic has triggered an empathy deficit in our children who have been deprived of interactions with others, denying them the chance to develop their social skills” said Miranda McKearney OBE, EmpathyLab’s founder. “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”.
The books are chosen by an expert judging panel who said “We’re in a golden age of children’s literature, coming just when we need it most. Reading is a great way to raise a nourished, empathy-educated generation and helps combat the empathy deficit. Scientific research shows that identifying with fictional book characters helps readers better understand people in real-life; the collection features books with outstandingly crafted characters who will expand young people’s world view, helping them become more understanding of others and inspiring them to become socially active.”
