National Empathy Day

Empathy is being able to experience and understand other people’s feelings and points of view. It is a valuable life skill that every child and young person deserves the chance to develop, and that everyone, no matter what their age, can develop.

Empathy Day, on 6 June, is a national event which aims to inspire children, young people and families to flex their empathy superpower and put it into action. It is supported by scientific research that has shown we can all learn to be more empathetic, and that books are a powerful tool for this – when a reader identifies with book characters, they learn to see things from other points of view.

So why not head to your local library this Empathy Day to find a book that puts you in someone else’s shoes? If you’re not sure where to start, EmpathyLab have put together Read for Empathy book lists for 3- to 16-year-olds, or you can take a chance on a recommendation from one of the friendly library staff.

And if you don’t fancy carrying a bag of books home with you or don’t have time to visit your library, take a look at the Libby app instead, where you can access a range of eBooks and eAudio books on your phone or tablet.

Visit Telford and Wrekin Libraries for more information about what’s available from your local library service.