Empathy-Building Books for Kids
Reading aloud to children is key to healthy brain development, strengthens family bonds, and increases kids’ understanding of the world around them. Spending time together reading aloud also helps children improve their language and listening skills. When your kids listen to you share a story, they’re also learning how to focus their attention — they don’t want to miss out on what happens next! They’re also learning to take an interest in the thoughts and feelings of others. Through the stories you share and talk about, your kids discover what it means to listen and care.
Your child has probably seen you pay close attention to what they say in a way that makes them feel heard and understood. At the same time, your child is learning to understand how others feel and how they want to be understood.
Reading together leads to empathy — when kids can listen and understand the thoughts and feelings of others and show that they care.
Talk About It
These books help show kids how listening is caring and is a skill they can use to connect with people and the world around them. Share these and other books to talk about what it means to listen well and feel heard. As you read together and explore the character’s emotions, you’re providing your child with examples of how to listen for meanings and for feelings. Try asking:
How did listening help in the story?
What was the character feeling before someone listened to them?
Why did the character listen to someone in the story?
Tell me about a time when someone listened to you like the character in this book. How did it make you feel?
The Rabbit Listened(opens in new window)
When the amazing block castle that Taylor worked so hard to build and is so proud of gets knocked down, he’s upset. Animals come by to offer their advice and support, but that’s not what Taylor needs. When Rabbit comes to just listen to Taylor, it is exactly what he needs to feel better and begin to think about rebuilding. Rabbit shows readers how much we can do for others just by listening to them.
My Story Friend(opens in new window)
This fairy-tale-style story follows a young boy who has a sad story to share, but he can’t find anyone willing to listen until he meets an old woman. When she makes time to listen to his story and his feelings, he learns what it means to have a “story friend” — someone who will really hear and value his deep thoughts and feelings. From his story friend, the boy learns what it means to listen to someone when they tell their story — and in turn, becomes a story friend himself.
Pinkalicious and the New Teacher(opens in new window)
Pinkalicious is excited about the first day of school until she remembers that she’ll have a new teacher. Ms. Penny does things differently than her old teacher and nothing feels right to Pinkalicious, who is unhappy about all the change. But Ms. Penny listens to Pinkalicious to understand what is bothering her and shows that she cares by being open to a “pinkerrific” suggestion from Pinkalicious!
Anzu the Great Listener(opens in new window)
Anzu, a caring monster, is patient and observant when it comes to tending his beloved bonsai. But when a nearby village is distressed over losing their kaiju (giant monster), Anzu tries everything he can think of to end their sadness, but he does so without noticing what they really need. Once he realizes that the villagers need him to just listen to how they feel, Anzu is able to finally offer them comfort, support, and the same loving care he gives his bonsai. As Anzu and the villagers come together, readers can see what it means to both listen and feel heard.
My Hands Tell a Story(opens in new window)
Listening is often about using more than just your ears. As they bake together, Zoe listens to her grandmother talk about some of what her hands have done and sees how they hold love, passion, and purpose. In this warm and tender story, kids will see how listening and learning from others can help shape their own stories and play a role in the stories of others.
Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America's Doctor(opens in new window)
Though he was small compared to the “tough guys” in his Brooklyn neighborhood, Anthony Fauci learned to get along with everyone by listening and talking. Listening and looking for new ways of seeing a problem was his childhood approach to problem-solving — for everything from homework to playing basketball.
Listen to My Trumpet(opens in new window)
Sometimes listening to a friend is tough, especially if that friend is making a racket like Piggie does when she plays her new trumpet for her best pal Gerald. As her friend, Gerald listens, but then is sure he will hurt Piggie’s feelings if he shares his feelings about her not-so-musical trumpet playing. But it turns out Piggie isn’t trying to make music. She’s showing how much she values Gerald by trying to sound like her elephant friend.
Judge Juliette(opens in new window)
When Juliette was small, her mother’s black skirt made an excellent judge’s robe. Now she’s the person in her neighborhood people turn to listen to debates and make decisions of all kinds — from fewer lima beans at dinner to more fair bedtimes. But now she has to settle a case in her own family — to decide if the new family pet should be the dog her mom wants or the cat her dad would like. Juliette listens well to what they both have to say, but ultimately makes a case for getting a dog, a cat — and the pet that she wants most!
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