Children & Teen

The Best Children’s Books About Empathy

“What are the best Children’s books about Empathy?” We looked at 219 of the top Kids Empathy books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!

The top 17 titles, all appearing on 3 or more “Best Children’s Empathy” book lists, are ranked below by how many lists they appear on. The remaining 200+ titles, as well as the lists we used are in alphabetical order at the bottom of the page.

Happy Scrolling!



Top 17 Best Children’s Books About Empathy



17 .) A Sick Day for Amos McGee written by Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead

Lists It Appears On:

  • Buzzfeed
  • Dad Suggests
  • Home Grown Friends

Amos McGee, a friendly zookeeper, always made time to visit his good friends: the elephant, the tortoise, the penguin, the rhinoceros, and the owl. But one day–‘Ah-choo!’–he woke with the sniffles and the sneezes. Though he didn’t make it into the zoo that day, he did receive some unexpected guests.




16 .) Be Kind written by Pat Zietlow Miller

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Mighty Girl
  • Colours Of Us
  • Dad Suggests

When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate contemplates how to make her feel better and what it means to be kind. From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving and thoughtful story explores what a child can do to be kind, and how each act, big or small, can make a difference or at least help a friend.…




15 .) Chocolate milk, Por Favor written by Maria Dismondy

Lists It Appears On:

  • Colours Of Us
  • Education And Behavior
  • Goodreads




14 .) Chrysanthemum written by Kevin Henkes

Lists It Appears On:

  • Book Riot
  • Home Grown Friends
  • Self Sufficient Kids

Chrysanthemum loves her name, until she starts going to school and the other children make fun of it.




13 .) Come With Me written by Holly M. McGhee

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Mighty Girl
  • NY Times
  • Read Brightly

Frightened by news of angry people around the world, a young girl gets her parents’ help in learning to be compassionate and brave a little at a time.




12 .) Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids written by Carol McCloud

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Mighty Girl
  • Buzzfeed
  • Up Parent

Through sweet, simple prose and vivid illustrations, this book encourages positive behavior as children see how very easy and rewarding it is to express kindness, appreciation, and love on a daily basis.




11 .) Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed written by Emily Pearson and Fumi Kosaka

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Mighty Girl
  • Buzzfeed
  • Up Parent

A young girl’s good deed is multiplied as it is passed on by those who have been touched by the kindesss of others.




10 .) The Hundred Dresses written by Eleanor Estes

Lists It Appears On:

  • FH
  • Parents
  • Self Sufficient Kids

In winning a medal she is no longer there to receive, a tight-lipped little Polish girl teaches her classmates a lesson. Includes a note from the author’s daughter, Helena Estes.




9 .) The Sneetches written by Dr. Seuss

Lists It Appears On:

  • Book Riot
  • Home Grown Friends
  • The School Run

Includes four humorous verse fantasies: The Sneetches, The Zax, The Many Daves, and What was I Scared of?




8 .) Hey Little Ant written by Phillip and Hannah Hoose

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Home Grown Friends
  • Read Brightly
  • Self Sufficient Kids

A song in which an ant pleads with the kid who is tempted to squish it.




7 .) I Walk With Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness written by Kerascoët

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Mighty Girl
  • Colours Of Us
  • Dad Suggests
  • Up Parent

An elementary school girl witnesses the bullying of another girl, but she is not sure how to help.




6 .) One written by Kathryn Otoshi

Lists It Appears On:

  • Book Riot
  • Home Grown Friends
  • Read Brightly
  • Self Sufficient Kids

A number/color book reminding us that it just takes one to make everyone count.




5 .) Last Stop on Market Street written by Matt de la Pena

Lists It Appears On:

  • Book Riot
  • Buzzfeed
  • Dad Suggests
  • FH
  • Read Brightly




4 .) Wonder written by R.J. Palacio

Lists It Appears On:

  • Books For Keeps
  • Cool Mom Picks
  • Family Education
  • Medium
  • Self Sufficient Kids




3 .) Each Kindness written by Jacqueline Woodson

Lists It Appears On:

  • A Mighty Girl
  • Book Riot
  • Buzzfeed
  • Medium
  • Read Brightly
  • Up Parent

When Ms. Albert teaches a lesson on kindness, Chloe realizes that she and her friends have been wrong in making fun of new student Maya’s shabby clothes and refusing to play with her.




2 .) The Invisible Boy written by Trudy Ludwig

Lists It Appears On:

  • Buzzfeed
  • Dad Suggests
  • FH
  • Medium
  • Self Sufficient Kids
  • Up Parent

Brian has always felt invisible at school, but when a new student, Justin, arrives, everything changes.




1 .) Those Shoes written by Maribeth Boelts

Lists It Appears On:

  • Buzzfeed
  • Colours Of Us
  • FH
  • Medium
  • Parents
  • Up Parent

Jeremy, who longs to have the black high tops that everyone at school seems to have but his grandmother cannot afford, is excited when he sees them for sale in a thrift shop and decides to buy them even though they are the wrong size.





The 200+ Additional Best Kids Books About Empathy



# Books Authors Lists
18 A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story About Knitting and Love Michelle Edwards A Mighty Girl
Parents
19 Amazing Grace Mary Hoffman Home Grown Friends
Self Sufficient Kids
20 Bear Feels Sick Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
Education And Behavior
Home Grown Friends
21 El Deafo Cool Mom Picks
Reading
22 Enemy Pie Derek Munson Buzzfeed
Up Parent
23 Fly Away Home Eve Bunting FH
Parents
24 How Are You Peeling: Foods With Moods Saxton Freymann and Joost Elfers Childrens Book Daily
Fractus Learning
25 Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush’s Incredible Journey Doug Kuntz & Amy Shrodes Colours Of Us
Medium
26 Lovely NY Times
Read Brightly
27 Maddi’s Fridge A Mighty Girl
FH
28 Most People NY Times
Read Brightly
29 Out of My Mind Sharon Draper: Cool Mom Picks
Medium
30 Rude Cakes Rowboat Watkins Buzzfeed
Parents
31 Sam and the Lucky Money Karen Chinn Colours Of Us
Parents
32 Spaghetti In A Hot Dog Bun: Having The Courage To Be Who You Are Maria Dismondy Family Education
Fractus Learning
33 Stand in My Shoes: Kids Learning about Empathy Bob Sornson Family Education
Goodreads
34 Stand Tall Molly Lou Mellon Patty Lovell Fractus Learning
Medium
35 The Name Jar Yangsook Choi Book Riot
Parents
36 The Rabbit Listened Read Brightly
Up Parent
37
The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade
Book Riot
Read Brightly
38 Understand and Care Cheri Meiners
Education And Behavior
Up Parent
39 We’re All Wonders Dad Suggests
Read Brightly
40 What Does It Mean To Be Kind? Colours Of Us
Up Parent
41 Why Am I Me? NY Times
Read Brightly
42 You Hold Me Up Monique Gray Smith Colours Of Us
Medium
43 A Color of His Own Book Riot
44 A is for Activist Book Riot
45 A Separate Peace John Knowles Lifehacker
46 A Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L’Engle Lifehacker
47
Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse
Read Brightly
48 After Ever After Cool Mom Picks
49 Al Capone Does My Shirts Thriving
50 All the World Book Riot
51 Apt. 3 Colours Of Us
52 Baby Faces Margaret Miller Parents
53 Baby Faces Peekaboo! DK Publishing Parents
54 Baz & Benz Reading
55 Beatrice’s Goat FH
56 Beautiful Oops Barney Saltzberg Fractus Learning
57
Beginnings and Endings with Lifetimes in Between’
Childrens Book Daily
58 Can You Tell How Someone Feels Nita Everly
Education And Behavior
59 Catching Teller Crow Reading
60 Cate’s Magic Garden Up Parent
61 Charlotte’s Web E. B. White Fractus Learning
62 Cloud Busting Books For Keeps
63 Cloud Tea Monkeys A Mighty Girl
64 Confessions of a Former Bully Trudy Ludwig Family Education
65 Counting On Community Book Riot
66 Dear Mr. Rosenwald FH
67 Desmond and the Very Mean Word Colours Of Us
68 Don’t Need Friends Carolyn Crimi Fractus Learning
69
Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart
A Mighty Girl
70 Dragon Post Reading
71 Emma and the Whale Read Brightly
72 EmpathyLab Books For Keeps
73 Essex Libraries Books For Keeps
74 Everything I’ve Never Said Reading
75 Everywhere Babies Susan Meyers Parents
76 Extra Yarn A Mighty Girl
77 Far From the Tree Reading
78 Finding Perfect Thriving
79 Fish in a Tree Thriving
80 Freak the Mighty Rodman Philbrick Parents
81 Freaks Like Us Cool Mom Picks
82 Gabe & Izzy: Standing Up for America’s Bullied Gabrielle Ford Family Education
83 Giraffes Can’t Dance The School Run
84 Good People Everywhere Colours Of Us
85 Hannah’s Way A Mighty Girl
86 Happy In Our Skin Book Riot
87 Hattie & Hudson A Mighty Girl
88 Highway Bodies Reading
89 Horace and Morris but Mostly Dolores James Howe Home Grown Friends
90 Horton Hears a Who Dr. Seuss Buzzfeed
91 How to Be a Lion Read Brightly
92 I Am Human: A Book of Empathy Colours Of Us
93 I Am Out With Lanterns Reading
94 I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness Colours Of Us
95 I Am Yoga Colours Of Us
96 I Know a Lady A Mighty Girl
97 I’m Australian Too Reading
98 I’m New Here Colours Of Us
99 If you could be mine Books For Keeps
100 Introducing Teddy Book Riot
101 It’s Okay To Be Different Todd Parr Home Grown Friends
102 Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla Katherine Applegate Parents
103 Just as Long as We’re Together Judy Blume Lifehacker
104 Just Because: Where Seeing Another Point of View Makes a Better You Amber Housey Goodreads
105 Just Grace Charise Mericle Fractus Learning
106 Just Kidding Trudy Ludwig Family Education
107 Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler Up Parent
108 Let’s be Kind Up Parent
109 Life is Like the Wind’ Childrens Book Daily
110 Little Elliot, Big Fun Mike Curato Parents
111 Llama Llama and the Bully Goat Anna Dewdney Family Education
112 Looking After Louis Cool Mom Picks
113 Lots of Feelings Shelley Rotner Fractus Learning
114 Love That Dog Books For Keeps
115
Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan
Book Riot
116 Mama Panya’s Pancakes FH
117 Marcelo in the Real World Cool Mom Picks
118 Marlene, Marlene, Queen of Mean Jane Lynch Family Education
119 Meet Me at the Intersection Reading
120 Migrant Book Riot
121 Mirror Books For Keeps
122 Moo, Baa, La La La! Sandra Boynton Parents
123 Moo! David LaRochelle Parents
124
Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress
Book Riot
125 My Brother Is Special Maureen Crane Wartski Lifehacker
126 My Princess Boy Book Riot
127 Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed Book Riot
128 Nico & Lola Up Parent
129 Ninth Ward Jewell Parker Rhodes Parents
130 NO ONE ELSE LIKE YOU NY Times
131 No, No, No! Marie-Isabelle Callier Fractus Learning
132 Nobody Likes a Goblin Dad Suggests
133 On the Come Up Reading
134 One Day, So Many Ways Reading
135 Paperboy Vince Vawter Fractus Learning
136 Pass It On Read Brightly
137 Peace Is an Offering Read Brightly
138 Plant a Kiss A Mighty Girl
139 Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai Claire A. Nivola Parents
140 Poetry Emotion Books For Keeps
141 Quincy and Buck Camille Matthews Goodreads
142 Red: a Crayon’s Story Book Riot
143 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Mildred D. Taylor Lifehacker
144 Same Sun Here Silas House and Neela Vaswani Fractus Learning
145 Save Me a Seat Sara Weeks Medium
146 Seed by Seed Up Parent
147
Senior Children and Education Librarians
Books For Keeps
148 Shine’ Childrens Book Daily
149 Sidewalk Flowers A Mighty Girl
150
Since We’re Friends: An Autism Picture Book
Colours Of Us
151 Something Else Books For Keeps
152 Sorry Day Reading
153 Spork Book Riot
154 Spot Goes to the Farm Eric Hill Parents
155 Stand Up for Yourself & Your Friends Patti Kelley Criswell Family Education
156 Start With Sorry P.T. Finch Goodreads
157 Stellaluna A Mighty Girl
158
Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness
Up Parent
159 Stevie John Steptoe Parents
160 Stone Girl Reading
161 Sumi’s First Day of School Colours Of Us
162 Sumi’s Frist Day of School Ever Soyung Pak Medium
163 Susan Laughs Cool Mom Picks
164 Swing Sideways Thriving
165 Take A Deep Breath Sue Graves Fractus Learning
166 That’s Not Fair! Colours Of Us
167 The Answer Book Riot
168
The Berenstain Bears: Kindness Counts
Up Parent
169 The Big Umbrella Colours Of Us
170 The Boy At the Back of the Class The School Run
171 The Boy On The Wooden Box: How The Impossible Became Possible On Schindler’s List Leon Leyson Fractus Learning
172 The Bubble Boy The School Run
173 The Bully Blockers Club Teresa Bateman Family Education
174 The Butter Battle Book Dr. Seuss Home Grown Friends
175 The Can Man Colours Of Us
176 The Colour of Home Books For Keeps
177 The Diddakoi Books For Keeps
178 The English Roses Up Parent
179 The Face At The Window Colours Of Us
180 The Gardener A Mighty Girl
181 The Giving Tree Shel Silverstein Buzzfeed
182 The Great Big Book of Feelings’ Childrens Book Daily
183
The Grief Book: Strategies for Young People’
Childrens Book Daily
184 The Hard-Times Jar FH
185 The Jar of Happiness Books For Keeps
186 The Journey Colours Of Us
187 The Juice Box Bully Bob Sornson, Ph.D. Family Education
188 The Kindness Quilt Up Parent
189 The Lemonade Club A Mighty Girl
190 The Librarian of Auschwitz Reading
191 The Messenger Bird’ Childrens Book Daily
192 The One Day House Colours Of Us
193 The Other Side Book Riot
194 The Protected’ Childrens Book Daily
195 The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm LeVar Burton and Susan Schaefer Bernardo Parents
196 The Snail and the Whale A Mighty Girl
197 The Story of Ferdinand Dad Suggests
198 The Three Questions Jon J Muth Buzzfeed
199 The Wall Eve Bunting Self Sufficient Kids
200 The War That Saved My Life Thriving
201 The Wattle Tree’ Childrens Book Daily
202 The Wednesday Surprise A Mighty Girl
203 The Wolf’s Colourful Coat The School Run
204 Through Grandpa’s Eyes Patricia MacLachlan Self Sufficient Kids
205 Tuck Everlasting Natalie Babbitt Lifehacker
206 Two White Rabbits Colours Of Us
207 Voices in the Park The School Run
208 Waiting For Wings Lois Ehlert Fractus Learning
209 We All Sing With the Same Voice J. Philip Miller and Sheppard M. Greene Buzzfeed
210 Weslandia Paul Fleishman Fractus Learning
211 What If Everybody Did That? Ellen Javernick Goodreads
212 What’s Wrong with Timmy? Maria Shriver Self Sufficient Kids
213 When I Care about Others Cornelia Maude Spelman
Education And Behavior
214 Wishtree Katherine Applegate: Medium
215 Wolf in the Snow A Mighty Girl
216 You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! Reading
217 You Must Be Layla Reading
218 You, Me and Empathy Colours Of Us
219 Yuko-chan and the Daruma Doll Colours Of Us


24 Best Children’s Empathy Book Sources/Lists



Source Article
A Mighty Girl 22 Children’s Books That Teach Kids to Be Kind
Book Riot 25 Picture Books That Promote Empathy and Respect
Books For Keeps Children’s Books – Articles – Ten of the Best Books to boost empathy
Buzzfeed 13 Children’s Books That Encourage Kindness Toward Others
Childrens Book Daily Must-Have Children’s Books on Grief, Empathy and Feelings
Colours Of Us 19 Multicultural Children’s Books teaching Kindness & Empathy
Cool Mom Picks 8 back-to-school books that teach empathy for kids with special needs
Dad Suggests 8 Picture Books that Teach Empathy to Kids
Education And Behavior 5 Great Books to Teach Young Children About Empathy
Family Education 11 Children’s Books About Bullying, Teasing & Empathy
FH 10 Children’s Books to Help You Teach Empathy on International
Fractus Learning The Best 15 Books to Raise Children’s Emotional IQ and Teach Empathy
Goodreads Best Children’s Picture Books Teaching Empathy
Home Grown Friends 10 Children’s Books that Teach Acceptance and Empathy
Lifehacker Teach Your Kids Empathy With These Old-School Chapter Books
Medium Kindness Matters: 11 Diverse Children’s Books that Teach Kindness
NY Times You Can’t Teach Kids Empathy, but These Picture Books Inspire It
Parents 20 Books That Encourage Empathy
Read Brightly 16 Books That Model Empathy and Compassion for Young Readers
Reading Blog: Children’s books that teach empathy
Self Sufficient Kids 10 Children’s Books About Empathy
The School Run Teaching kids empathy
Thriving Books that teach empathy and kindness
Up Parent Children’s Books About Empathy and Kindness
A.M. Anderson

Share
Published by
A.M. Anderson

Recent Posts

The Best Books of 2023 – Science Fiction And Fantasy (A Year-End List Aggregation)

"What are the best Science Fiction And Fantasy books released in 2023?" We looked at…

3 months ago

The Best Books of 2023 – Graphic Novels And Comics (A Year-End List Aggregation)

"What are the best Graphic Novels And Comics books released in 2023?" We looked at…

3 months ago

The Best Books of 2023 – Science And Nature (A Year-End List Aggregation)

"What are the best Science And Nature books released in 2023?" We looked at 278…

3 months ago

The Best Books of 2023 – Mystery, Horror, and Thriller (A Year-End List Aggregation)

"What are the best Mystery, Horror, and Thriller books released in 2023?" We looked at…

3 months ago

The Best Books of 2023 – Nonfiction (A Year-End List Aggregation)

"What are the best Nonfiction books released in 2023?" We looked at 428 of the…

3 months ago

The Best Books of 2023 – Fiction & Literature (A Year-End List Aggregation)

"What are the best Fiction & Literature books released in 2023?" We looked at 448…

3 months ago