Reading Builds Empathy

“Fiction gives us empathy: it puts us inside the minds of other people, gives us the gifts of seeing the world through their eyes. Fiction is a lie that tells us true things, over and over.”

                                             ~Neil Gaiman 

Just google "why should I read more" and you will find reams of articles and scientific studies extolling the many benefits of reading for pleasure. Reduced stress, increased vocabulary, critical thinking skills, improved memory and cognitive ability, etc. Considering the rancor and divisiveness currently polluting our nation I think that opening our hearts and minds may be the greatest payoff of reading fiction. Of course, you can watch stories and learn about other cultures and places through television and movies. Only reading, though, allows you to inhabit the mind, soul, and life of a character.  

It is never too early or too late to help your child develop a strong sense of empathy. Here are a few of my favorite children's books that focus on kindness, compassion, and understanding while still telling a good story.

1. A Sick Day for Amos McGee written by Philip C. Stead and illustrated by Erin E. Stead

This charming picture book written and illustrated by husband and wife, Philip and Erin Stead, won the Caldecott Medal in 2011. The story follows an elderly zookeeper named Amos who stays home from work one day because he is sick. Worried about their friend and caretaker, several of the zoo animals travel to Amos's home and proceed to take care of him until he is better. I usually gravitate towards picture books with bold colors, but Stead's pencil sketches combined with somewhat muted colors are simply captivating. The characters have such wonderful expressions and the simple story of caring for a sick friend is sweet without being overly saccharine. I like to encourage little ones to point out the pops of red on each page or see if they can find the tiny mouse or bird that pop up throughout the story.

2. Last Stop on Market Street written by Matthew De La Pena and illustrated by Christian Robinson

As you can see from the cover image Last Stop on Market Street has won multiple awards: a Newbery Medal, a Caldecott Honor, a Coretta Scott King Honor (just to name the big ones). This book has also received numerous starred reviews and appeared on countless best children's books list. Of course, awards and reviews do not guarantee that kids will actually enjoy a book. I think that Last Stop on Market Street lives up to its buzz, though. The story follows a a young boy, CJ, and his Nana on their weekly bus ride from church to a soup kitchen across a bustling city. Like most little boys, CJ is full of questions. Why don't we drive a car? Why do we have to go here after church? Why is that man blind? Nana answers every question by patiently pointing out the positive and expressing gratitude for friendship, music, rainbows, etc. Honestly, every time I start to lose patience with one of my children or feel ungrateful I try to channel the graceful aplomb of Nana. I think my favorite line is: "Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt, CJ, you're a better witness for what's beautiful."

De La Pena's writing has this wonderful lyrical quality. Combined with Robinson's bold illustrations you can almost hear the rain pattering on windshields, Nana's deep laugh, and the guitar music played on the bus ride. There is so much to love about this story: the diverse characters, the imagery, the illustrations, the city setting (which is great for kids who have only been in rural areas). Above all though, De La Pena's message of finding joy and beauty in your surroundings is timeless.

3. The Short Giraffe written by Neil Flory and illustrated by Mark Cleary

So, the first two books I described are incredibly popular, award winning books that are sure to pop up if you google books about kindness or empathy. The Short Giraffe, however, is probably a less familiar title. A photographer is attempting to take a group picture of all of the giraffes, but poor Geri is so short he doesn't appear in any of the shots. What follow is a series of slapstick comedy attempts to bring Geri up to the same level as the other giraffes. Little ones are sure to laugh at Geri with springs on his feet or blown up like a balloon. Eventually, a wise caterpillar watching the antics advises that the instead of trying to bring Geri up, the other giraffes bend down. 

Cute illustrations, lots of humor, and giraffes. This story is sure to be a hit with young readers. What makes The Short Giraffe stand out for me, though, is that it is not a story about an animal being bullied because they are different from all of the others. Geri doesn't look like the other giraffes, but none of them care. What they do care about is making sure he is included in their picture. The giraffes may not be the smartest animals around, but their hearts make up for the lack of brains.

4. The Hundred Dresses written by Eleanor Estes and illustrated by Louis Slobodkin

If you have never heard of The Hundred Dresses, don't feel bad because it was published in 1944.

This simple story of kindness, compassion, and regret may be a bit old-fashioned but is still relevant today  The story revolves around a poor Polish immigrant, Wanda Petronski, who is teased relentlessly by other girls at school for her funny sound name and accent and for wearing the same faded blue dress everyday. When Wanda claims to have one hundred beautiful dresses at home the bullying only escalates. Eventually it comes to light that Wanda is an incredibly talented artist whose drawing of one hundred dresses win a school design competition. Wanda's tormentors are filled with remorse, but it comes too late since the interminable abuse has forced the entire Petronski family to leave town.

 

I'm not going to lie, the story is probably not very appealing to boy readers. Substitute a Syrian or South American refugee and cars, shoes, video games, or whatever else children covet and the story still resonates. So many children (and adults too) can relate to Maddie, the narrator of The Hundred Dresses, who knows that taunting Wanda is wrong, but joins in to avoid becoming a target herself.  Although Maddie decides that she is "never going to stand by and say nothing again" the fact that her cowardice caused someone so much suffering continues to haunt her. "Nothing would ever seem good to her again, because just when she was about to enjoy something--like going for a hike with Peggy to look for bayberries or sliding down Barley Hill--she'd bump right smack into the thought that she had made Wanda Petronski move away." The message that bullying hurts all of those involved, not just the victim, is profound and one important for children to learn early.

 

5. Twerp written by Mark Goldblatt

Twerp is another story of a child who allows his friends to dictate his actions even when his conscience is telling him that it is wrong. This book, though, was actually published in this century.  The story begins with the main character, Julian Twerski (aka Twerp), being asked by his English teacher to write about the events that earned him a week long suspension. This turns out easier said than done as Julian writes about everything but the incident in question.  I am not usually a huge fan of journal books, at least when it comes to juvenile fiction. Often the writing sounds far too sophisticated for a supposedly young writer, not to mention the fact, that no one while journaling records entire conversations word for word. I really enjoyed Twerp, though, and it definitely has a sincere and believable voice. I am not going to give away what Julian has done, but I will tell you that Twerp is an incredibly powerful story about gaining the strength, integrity, and maturity to not only learn from your mistakes, but also make amends for them.

6. When Stars are Scattered written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed and illustrated by Victoria Jamieson and Iman Geddy.

The final book that I want to mention is an amazing graphic novel that was just published in April 2020. Victoria Jamieson is the awesome writer and illustrator behind Roller Girl. Seriously, if you have not read Roller Girl, which is a not only a New York Times bestseller, but also a Newbery Honor book, you need to check it out! I'm not going to lie. Even though When the Stars are Scattered is ultimately about hope, it is a tough story to read, especially from my very distant and privileged position in rural Michigan. When Stars are Scattered is a beautifully written and illustrated graphic novel based on the true experiences of Somali refugee, Omar, and his younger brother, Hassan, in a refugee camp in Kenya. First of all, being a mom I cannot even fathom two young boys (one with severe medical issues) all alone in a camp of thousands. They are fortunate enough to be embraced by an elderly widow, Fatuma, who has lost her own children, but they are still largely on their own. I feel guilty even asking by 17 year old to watch my 4 year old so the fact that Omar is forced to accept so much responsibility breaks my heart. At the end of this story, I felt so happy that Omar was able to get an education and allowed to immigrate to the United States with Hassan. It is impossible not to spend nights thinking about all of those children who are not able to continue their education or the girls (barely more than children) forced to marry. There is so much animosity towards refugees in America. What When Stars are Scattered teaches us is that refugees are just people trying to survive as best they can. Would they rather go home to a country without war? Absolutely, but life is not always fair even when we wish with all of our heats that it was.