Children’s books about kindness, empathy and love
Children’s books about kindness, empathy and love Here’s our selection of great books to read with children, share with a class, discuss in circle time or PSHE or talk about in the classroom on the subjects of kindness, empathy and love. We’ve put together an uplifting and diverse selection of recommendations for preschool, primary-aged and secondary children and teens including stories, picture books and poetry by Joanna Nadin, Laura Dockrill, Kerry Drewery, Malcolm Duffy, Dan Smith, Alice Oseman, Jess McGeachin, Michael Rosen, Catherine Rayner, Satoshi Kitamura, Suma Subramaniam, Benjamin Dean, R J Palacio and more.
Children’s books about kindness, empathy and love – our recommendations
Kindness love and empathy books for children aged 3-6
Hello!: A Counting Book of Kindnesses by Hollis Kurman
A simple counting format is blended with a powerful message of hope as young readers follow a family escaping danger on a small boat and with the help of others, finding safety and security. Hello is an empathetic, humane and kind antidote to xenophobic rhetoric, suited both to ‘people who help us’ topics with younger children and discussions about refugees, migration and tolerance in KS2.
The Kiss by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar
This clever picture book tells the stories of Tiger and Crocodile as they search high and low for the perfect goodnight kiss. One half of the book follows Tiger, and the other, flipped over, follows Crocodile. A delightful and heartwarming ending blends both stories and families in the middle. It’s a joy to read to younger children.
Five Bears by Catherine Rayner
When Bear encounters another bear while out walking, the two bears bond and concentrate on what they have in common. By the end of the story, there are five bears, each one unique and celebrated for their inclusiveness and warm-heartedness. This text, which is cleverly written to be positive and gender-neutral, will be useful to explore in circle time and PSHE when discussing friendships and how to relate to people who are different from us. We particularly liked ‘Other Bear,’ with his wild hair, and the recurring and vibrant watercolour collaged leaves. Our picture book of the month for July 2022.
Namaste Is a Greeting by Suma Subramaniam, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat
A young girl discovers a gift for the elderly lady who lives next door while exploring the lively and vibrant city. However, the gift of a greeting is just as valuable as the gift in her hand. Namaste is a Greeting is an upbeat and moving picture book that exudes positivity, warmth, and kindness. Our picture book of the month for December 2022.
The Smile Shop by Satoshi Kitamura
When a young boy goes shopping for the first time, he loses his pocket money just before deciding to buy something. Disaster! But then he comes across a ‘Smile Shop’ and enters. A modern fable that is ideal for sharing, reading aloud, and discussing with students.
Kind by Jess McGeachin
Be kind to ‘those who flutter’, ‘those who weave’, ‘those with shells’ and ‘those who glitter’ says this evocative hardback picture book that celebrates the value of life in every form. Exploring themes of protecting the environment, tolerance and the world around us, this is a beautiful book to share with younger children or use as an impetus for writing rhyming poetry in KS2. Kind is the perfect book to read, discuss, and celebrate on the 13th of November – World Kindness Day – and as the cover strapline says, it’s ‘a call to care for every creature.’
Kindness, empathy and love books for children aged 7-9
Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers
Oliver Jeffers’ heartwarming gift of words to his young son, now available in paperback, seeks to explain our world, the universe, and how people and families all fit into it. The breathtaking illustrations make this a joy to read and share. A contemporary classic.
Stories of Peace and Kindness For a Better World by Elizabeth Laird
This diverse collection of folk tales, which includes traditional stories from Ethiopia, China, and Afghanistan, is also suitable for primary school assembly storytelling or reading to whole classes in KS2 PSHE. Stories of Peace and Kindness is a wonderful storybook proponent of the maxim “be kind,” with enchanting illustrations by Mehrdokht Amini and lyrical text by Elizabeth Laird.
Kindness, empathy and love books for children aged 10-12
The Secret Sunshine Project by Benjamin Dean
When a family tragedy turns Bea’s life upside down, her big sister Riley is determined to restore their joy and pride. So, with the assistance of friends, the Secret Sunshine Club is formed. But will their rays of sunshine be enough to overcome a small-minded village? With a stunningly colourful cover, exuberant diversity, and a rainbow printed fore-edge, this book will stand out in any library display and beg to be explored. Our fiction book of the month for April 2022.
Kindness, empathy and love books for young adults and teens aged 12+
Nisha’s War by Dan Smith
This story follows Nisha and her mother as they flee Malaya in 1942 to live with relatives in England. Life on a cold windswept clifftop house in the north is very different. Nisha initially finds the clash between her culture and English life difficult to comprehend, until she meets a mysterious boy who is not what he appears to be. This atmospheric story is ideal to teach as a class reader in years five or six. Nisha’s War, full of evocative descriptions and well-drawn characters, is also a good novel to spark creative writing ideas, as well as a great story to compare and contrast with Nina Bawden’s Carrie’s War. Our fiction book of the month for February 2022.
The Dream House by Laura Dockrill
This young adult novella takes readers on a visual and illustrated journey through Rex’s thoughts, fears, recollections, and dreams. The reader learns from Rex’s scrapbook and first-person narrative that after his father died, he went to live with his godfather. Rex’s once-cherished safe haven in the garden now feels different, and he must confront his emotions in order to feel happy again. The Dream House is an excellent choice for KS3 book group discussions and is sure to spark creative writing ideas in English classes. A refreshing read that will be remembered for a long time. Our fiction book of the month for September 2021.
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Kindness, empathy and love topic resources
- World Kindness Day is held each year on November 13th – a great way to develop a culture of empathy, kindness and understanding throughout your whole school.
- UNESCO has created a great set of free resources designed to help teachers instil kindness and empathy in the classroom.
- BBC Teach features a raft of free video and classroom resources to help deliver Empathy Day – held annually in June – in primary and secondary schools.
- The Kindness Curriculum offers a full set of resources for primary and secondary-aged students, underpinned by research-based teaching and practice.
- Scholastic’s “Building a culture of kindness” articles include ideas for educational administrators and free resources for teachers of 6-12-year-olds.
- The Red Cross has procured an interesting and engaging set of free resources for teachers of children and teenagers aged 5-18 covering kindness, loneliness, well-being and much more.
- The National Improvement Hub in Scotland has a comprehensive upper primary resource that’s free to download and would form an excellent basis for building a new PHSE programme or study around kindness and empathy.
- Harvard University Graduate School of Education recommends “Making Caring Common“, a free and complete curriculum for primary-aged children. It’s an excellent resource for whole staff insets.