Books that Teach Empathy
Gain a fresh perspective with a selection from the Books that Teach Empathy Collection. The titles in this thematic Collection each focus on the ability to understand the feelings of another. With coming-of-age stories, autobiographies, graphic novels, and suspenseful thrillers, this diverse Collection includes selections to appeal to any reader seeking to better understand others.
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Joy, Loneliness, Memory, Disability, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, Music, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Art, Animals, Appearance & Reality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Coming of Age, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family, Race, Teamwork, Grief
Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Friendship, Disability, Hope, Perseverance, Love, Loneliness
Tags Historical Fiction, Disability, Mental Illness, Health, Religion & Spirituality, Bullying, Post-War Era, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, World History
Petey is middle grade novel written by Ben Mikaelsen and published in 1998. Mikaelsen is the author of 10 novels for young adults and the winner of several awards for his work. Petey is dedicated to and based on the life of Clyde Cothern, a Montana man with cerebral palsy who was misdiagnosed as intellectually disabled and confined to Montana State Hospital in the 1920s. Mikaelsen and Cothern shared a close personal friendship, and while... Read Petey Summary
Publication year 1913
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Religion & Spirituality, Love, Perseverance, Fathers
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Modernism
Pollyanna (1913) is the second novel by American author Eleanor H. Porter (1868-1921). The book was so successful that it topped the adult best-seller list, and Porter wrote a sequel titled Pollyanna Grows Up (1915) two years later.In the years following its publication, Pollyanna provided hope in the turbulent years of World War I, and it continued to capture the national imagination throughout the 20th century. Eleven more “glad books” featuring the heroine were written... Read Pollyanna Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family, Friendship, Coming of Age, Community, Race, Fathers, Daughters & Sons, Perseverance, Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Race & Racism, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, World History, Arts & Culture
Publication year 1982
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Conflict, Loneliness, Friendship
Tags Animals, Fantasy, Children`s Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 24
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Femininity, Disability, Siblings, Perseverance
Tags Gender & Feminism, Disability, Relationships, Children`s Literature, Education, Education
American author, educator, filmmaker, and civil rights activist Toni Cade Bambara published her short story “Raymond’s Run” in 1971. It first appeared in a collection edited by Bambara, Tales and Short Stories for Black Folks, and later in her first short story collection, Gorilla, My Love in 1972. During this time, Bambara became prominent in the contemporary Black women’s literature space, emerging as a notable writer and editor alongside contemporaries such as Toni Morrison and... Read Raymond's Run Summary
Publication year 1986
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Good & Evil, Community, Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Animals, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Classic Fiction
Redwall is a middle-grade fantasy novel by British author Brian Jacques. It is the first book in a series of the same name that spans 22 volumes. The initial book was originally published in 1986, while the final installment, entitled Rogue Crew, wasn’t published until 2011, after the author’s death. Redwall was named to Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. Aside from the Redwall Series proper, Jacques also published a three-book series... Read Redwall Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family, Disability, Friendship, Siblings, Fathers, Mothers, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Guilt, Conflict
Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Diversity, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Rules was the first novel published by Cynthia Lord. Rules is a book for middle-grade readers that has remained popular and in print from the time of its initial publication. The Scholastic paperback version summarized here first appeared in 2018. For a debut novel, Rules was immediately accepted by young readers and by the literary community. The book won a prestigious Newberry Honor Book award and received the Schneider Family Book Award. It was named... Read Rules Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Animals, Teamwork, Fear, Shame & Pride, Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Animals, Relationships, Children`s Literature
Kenneth Oppel’s 1997 award-winning middle-grade novel Silverwing is a high-fantasy work that follows a young bat’s journey to find his colony. The novel has sold over a million copies and been adapted for television as an animated children’s series. This book is the first of four in The Silverwing Book Series.Other works by this author include Inkling, Bloom, Half Brother, and Airborn.Plot SummaryThe novel is divided into three parts, and it shifts point of view... Read Silverwing Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Family, Conflict, Fear, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Memory, Nostalgia, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Fathers, Mothers, Siblings, Daughters & Sons, Animals, Art, Order & Chaos
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Coming of Age, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Joy, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Regret, Forgiveness, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Race, Sexual Identity, Fate, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Animals, Appearance & Reality
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, LGBTQ+, Children`s Literature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Disability, Childhood & Youth, Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Symbolic Narrative, Children`s Literature, Inspirational, Disability, Relationships, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction, Action & Adventure
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Mental Health, Family, Shame & Pride, Childhood & Youth, Self Discovery, Beauty, Mothers, Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Free Verse, Bullying, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Death, Friendship, Animals
Tags Realistic Fiction, Animals, Health, Grief & Death, Trauma & Abuse, Children`s Literature, Disability
Publication year 2011
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Disability, Animals, Equality
Tags Disability, Animals, Inspirational, Agriculture, Children`s Literature, Science & Nature, Biography
Author and naturalist Sy Montgomery’s Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World (2012) is a biography of the animal behaviorist, animal rights advocate, and autism activism Temple Grandin. The biography is intended for young adult readers and discusses Grandin’s life from early childhood to the present day. It explores the challenges she faced with autism, the development of her creativity and her passion for animals, and the persistence... Read Temple Grandin Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Justice, Fear, Guilt, Shame & Pride
Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Social Class, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Trauma & Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1982
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Conflict, Gratitude, Loneliness, Joy, Love, Death, Childhood & Youth, Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Humor, Action & Adventure
IntroductionBritish author Roald Dahl first made his mark as a leading writer of children’s literature in 1961, when he published James and the Giant Peach. His subsequent books include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, and his 1982 novel The BFG (Big Friendly Giant), which was illustrated by Quentin Blake and based on a segment of Dahl’s 1975 book Danny, the Champion of the World. His books have been viewed as darker... Read The BFG Summary
Publication year 1985
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Joy, Love, Loneliness, Regret, Shame & Pride, Family, Friendship, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Good & Evil, Fate, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Classic Fiction