Books that teach children empathy
66 hand-picked books from the Bookbear catalogue tagged “teaching empathy”, with Indian authors first. Each one has an age range, a short description, a heads-up on any sensitive topics and a link to buy in India.
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The Pleasant Rakshasa
by Sowmya Rajendran
Ages 4–7Indian author
Karimuga the friendly rakshasa decides to share his beauty with jealous fellow rakshasas. A conversation about sharing and inner beauty.
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Boo! When My Sister Died
by Richa Jha
Ages 5–9Indian author
A gentle, honest picture book about coping with the death of a sibling. Helps children and families navigate grief together.
Heads-up: Death & grief
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Machher Jhol
by Richa Jha
Ages 5–8Indian author
A refreshingly subtle and sensitive look at physical disability through the lens of food and family. Delicate and warm.
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Aai and I
by Mamta Nainy
Ages 5–9Indian author
A child explores her identity against the backdrop of her mother's illness with cancer. Honest, warm, and reassuring.
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Talking of Muskaan
by Himanjali Sankar
Ages 12–15Indian author
When Muskaan disappears from school, four friends piece together why — and confront difficult truths about belonging and acceptance. A groundbreaking Indian YA novel on LGBTQ+ identity, widely praised and taught in progressive schools.
Heads-up: Suicide & self-harm, Homophobic bullying
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Simply Nanju
by Zainab Sulaiman
Ages 5–8Indian author
A heartfelt story that makes children sensitive and accepting towards differently-abled and special-needs children. Warm and thoughtfully told.
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Women in Sports (Learning TO BE)
by Pervin Saket
Ages 5–9Indian author
Five extraordinary Indian sportswomen — PT Usha, Arunima Sinha, Bhakti Sharma, Chandro and Prakashi Tomar — their stories of grit and resilience told in simple verse with stunning illustrations. Award-winning.
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Mohini Made Friends
by Shruthi KP
Ages 5–8Indian author
A sweet story of Mohini making new friends at school, written by a Mohiniyattam dance performer and woven through with the spirit of classical Indian dance.
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Ila, My Wild Mongoose Friend
by Abhisheka Krishnagopal
Ages 8–10Indian author
A college volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation centre near Bengaluru bonds with an orphaned Indian grey mongoose — and learns the bittersweet lesson of letting her go wild again.
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The Spring of Life: How Moirangthem Loiya Saved a Forest
Ages 6–8Indian author
The true story of Moirangthem Loiya, who single-handedly grew a forest back to life in Manipur, told in lyrical text and vivid illustration.
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The Miracle on Kachhua Beach
by Nandita da Cunha
Ages 6–10Indian author
Bullied and nicknamed 'Oddball Ori,' a boy finds an abandoned, garbage-strewn beach and an unconventional idea that transforms his community — a Neev Award-winning story.
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Whoever You Are
by Mem Fox
Ages 3–5
Children around the world may look different and live in different places, but inside, their hearts are just the same. A simple, reassuring first book about diversity.
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My Friend Isabelle
by Eliza Woloson
Ages 3–6
Charlie and Isabelle are best friends. Isabelle has Down syndrome, and the two of them are alike in some ways and different in others. A simple story about friendship and difference.
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Lovely
by Jess Hong
Ages 3–6
Big, small, curly, straight, loud, quiet: lovely comes in every shape and size. A bold celebration of how different people look.
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The Rabbit Listened
by Cori Doerrfeld
Ages 3–6
When Taylor's block tower falls, the animals all offer advice, but only the rabbit simply listens. A quiet, powerful book about empathy.
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We're Different, We're the Same
by Bobbi Jane Kates
Ages 3–6
Elmo and his Sesame Street friends show that noses, hair and skin look different on everyone, but they all do the same jobs. A cheerful first book about diversity.
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The Girl at the Front of the Class
by Onjali Q Raúf
Ages 4–7
A boy discovers his new classmate has fled her home. Celebrates being welcoming and kind toward newcomers.
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My Rice is Best!
by Selina Brown
Ages 4–5
A bright and sweet book that explores differences between cultures as well as what unites us all.
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The Shy Book
by Howard Pearlstein
Ages 5–9
This book hides from you but you help it become confident by answering its questions. Teaches social skills creatively.
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We Can! Make a Difference
Ages 4–7
An inclusive picture book about 15 children planning a We Can festival, written with real children. Features diverse abilities.
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Gordon the Meanest Goose on Earth
by Alex Latimer
Ages 5–9
Gordon is terribly mean. But when a piglet gives him a flower he wonders — could he be brave instead? Very funny.
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Ava Spark: Hello, I'm Here!
by Alex Field
Ages 5–9
Ava and her friends concoct a plan to welcome the new girl to their class. Features a protagonist with a disability.
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Hero Wanted!
by Mark Powers
Ages 8–9
A very silly but utterly irresistible fantasy adventure with a subliminal message about the futility of war and discovering empathy.
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The Story of Ferdinand
by Munro Leaf
Ages 4–7
The classic story of a bull who prefers sitting under a tree smelling flowers to fighting — a beloved tale about being yourself.
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Enemy Pie
by Derek Munson
Ages 5–7
Jeremy's dad has a recipe for enemy pie — but first Jeremy has to spend a whole day with his enemy. A warm, funny story about turning rivals into friends.
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Each Kindness
Ages 5–8
Chloe refuses to befriend the new girl Maya — and when Maya disappears, Chloe must live with the regret. A profound, bittersweet story about what kindness left undone costs us.
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The Recess Queen
by Alexis O'Neill
Ages 4–7
Mean Jean rules the playground — until small new girl Katie Sue isn't the least bit afraid. A lively rhyming story about courage and the most unexpected friendship.
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When Aidan Became a Brother
by Kyle Lukoff
Ages 4–8
Aidan transitioned before the baby arrived — so he helps his parents rethink the nursery they'd already set up. A sweet, matter-of-fact Stonewall Award winner.
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Red: A Crayon's Story
by Michael Hall
Ages 4–7
A crayon labelled RED is actually blue inside and feels like a failure — until someone asks him to draw the ocean. A gentle, perfect metaphor for identity and self-acceptance.
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Neither
by Airlie Anderson
Ages 4–7
In a land of birds and fish, a creature is born that is neither — it doesn't fit in anywhere until it discovers a place where everyone belongs. Gentle and universal.
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I Am Enough
by Grace Byers
Ages 4–7
A lyrical, empowering poem about loving who you are, how you look, and where you come from. Celebrates Black girls and the joy of being exactly enough.
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Wonder
by R.J. Palacio
Ages 10–12
Auggie Pullman, born with a facial difference, starts school for the first time at age ten. Told from multiple perspectives, it is one of the most important books about empathy ever written for young people.
Heads-up: Death & grief
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A Long Walk to Water
Ages 10–12
Based on the true story of Salva Dut — a Sudanese Lost Boy who walked hundreds of miles to survive — alongside Nya, a girl who walks eight hours a day to fetch water. Unforgettable.
Heads-up: War & battle violence, Violence, Death & grief
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The Dot
by Peter H. Reynolds
Ages 4–7
Vashti believes she can't draw — until her teacher asks her to 'make a mark and see where it takes you.' A perfect book about creativity, courage, and the art inside all of us.
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She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World
by Chelsea Clinton
Ages 5–8
Harriet Tubman, Clara Lemlich, Sonia Sotomayor, and ten more — each woman who refused to be told no. A joyful, affirming collective biography.
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I Am Gandhi
by Brad Meltzer
Ages 5–8
From the Ordinary People Change the World series — a warm introduction to Gandhi's belief in non-violence and the quiet courage it takes to stand up for what is right.
Heads-up: Racism & discrimination
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I Am Martin Luther King Jr.
by Brad Meltzer
Ages 5–8
From the Ordinary People Change the World series — an accessible, warm introduction to Dr King's dream of equality and the meaning of peaceful protest.
Heads-up: Racism & discrimination
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Matilda
by Roald Dahl
Ages 7–10
Matilda has a brilliant mind and extraordinary powers — but her dreadful parents and the terrifying Miss Trunchbull want to crush her. One of the greatest children's novels ever written and a love letter to books and readers.
Heads-up: Child abuse & neglect
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The Breadwinner
by Deborah Ellis
Ages 10–13
In Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, eleven-year-old Parvana disguises herself as a boy to earn money after her father is arrested. One of the most important children's books of the 21st century — suspenseful and deeply humane.
Heads-up: War & battle violence, Violence
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Shin-chi's Canoe
by Nicola I. Campbell
Ages 5–8
Shi-shi-etko's little brother Shin-chi arrives at residential school. Their one comfort is a tiny canoe he carries as a reminder of home. Based on the author's family experience. Tender and essential.
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Fatty Legs
by Christy Jordan-Fenton & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
Ages 7–10
Eight-year-old Olemaun (Margaret) is determined to learn to read — despite a cruel nun at the residential school who gives her ugly grey stockings to break her spirit. Based on a true story. Powerful.
Heads-up: Child abuse & neglect, Racism & discrimination
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The Bear and the Wildcat
by Kazumi Yumoto (illus. Komako Sakai)
Ages 4–7
A bear grieving his best friend — a small bird — meets a wildcat carrying a caged bird. What starts warily becomes a tender friendship. A beloved Japanese picture book about loss, love, and companionship.
Heads-up: Death & grief
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Can Bears Ski?
by Raymond Antrobus & Lauren Spollon
Ages 4–7
Bear can't hear well and his friends struggle to understand. A tender, funny story about hearing loss and what it means to really listen — by the award-winning Deaf poet Raymond Antrobus.
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The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales
by Dawn Casey (illus. Anne Wilson)
Ages 5–9
Seven folk tales from seven continents — Japan, the Amazon, West Africa, India, and more — each honouring the relationship between people and the natural world. Luminous and vital.
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The Empty Pot
by Demi
Ages 4–8
A Chinese emperor challenges his people to grow the most beautiful flower. Only honest Ping dares admit his pot is empty — and is rewarded for his integrity. A timeless tale of truth and courage.
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The Tears
by Sibylle Delacroix
Ages 4–7
A gentle picture book that reassures children crying is a normal, healthy part of feeling sad, scared, or hurt — and one important way we learn and grow.
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The Day You Begin
Ages 5–8
Nadia feels different from everyone in her classroom until she finds the courage to share her own story out loud. A lyrical, affirming picture book about the things that make us who we are.
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Last Stop on Market Street
by Matt de la Peña
Ages 4–8
CJ and his grandmother ride the bus across town after church, and Nana helps him see the beauty and community in everything he thinks he's missing. Newbery Medal winner.
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All Are Welcome
by Alexandra Penfold
Ages 3–7
A joyful, rhyming celebration of a school where every child — whatever their background, faith or family — is welcome just as they are.
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Sulwe
by Lupita Nyong'o
Ages 4–8
Sulwe, whose skin is the color of midnight, longs to be lighter until a magical journey teaches her that true beauty shines from within. A tender story about colorism and self-love, by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o.
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Eyes That Kiss in the Corners
by Joanna Ho
Ages 4–8
A young girl notices her eyes look different from her friends' — until she recognizes the same eyes in her mother, grandmother and little sister, and learns to see them as beautiful. A lyrical celebration of Asian beauty and heritage.
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And Tango Makes Three
by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell
Ages 4–8
Based on a true story at New York's Central Park Zoo, two male penguins named Roy and Silo hatch and raise a chick of their own. A gentle, true tale about different kinds of families.
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Julián Is a Mermaid
by Jessica Love
Ages 4–8
After seeing three women dressed as mermaids, Julián longs to be one too — and his abuela shows him exactly how, with full and joyful acceptance. A warm celebration of self-expression.
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The Family Book
by Todd Parr
Ages 2–6
A bright, silly, reassuring look at all the different shapes families come in — big, small, same-sex parents, adoptive, single-parent — with one loving message: all families are special.
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Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You
by Sonia Sotomayor
Ages 4–8
A garden of children with diabetes, autism, Down syndrome, ADHD and other differences work together to build something beautiful — narrated by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who has type 1 diabetes herself.
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One
by Kathryn Otoshi
Ages 4–8
Blue is a quiet color, and Red doesn't like it. When the other colors join in the bullying, it takes One to stand up and count everyone in. A bold, simple story about standing up for others.
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Amazing Grace
by Mary Hoffman
Ages 4–8
Grace loves acting out stories, and dreams of playing Peter Pan in the school play — until a classmate says she can't, because she's a girl and she's Black. A beloved British classic about believing you can be anything.
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Grandad's Camper
by Harry Woodgate
Ages 4–8
A granddaughter remembers the adventures her grandad and his late husband Gramps once had in their camper van — and helps Grandad find the courage to hit the road again. A tender story about love, loss and LGBTQ+ family, winner of the Klaus Flugge Prize.
Heads-up: Death & grief
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Look Up!
by Nathan Bryon
Ages 4–8
Rocket loves space and wants everyone — including her wheelchair-using Grandad — to look up from their screens and marvel at the night sky. A joyful STEM adventure starring a Black British family.
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The Boy with Flowers in His Hair
by Jarvis
Ages 4–8
Elliot's hair is made of beautiful flowers, but one day the flowers start to fall — and his best friend Michael finds a way to help him feel like himself again. A gentle story about friendship, difference and self-expression.
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Susan Laughs
Ages 4–8
Susan swims, rides, laughs and plays just like any other child — a rhyming celebration of an ordinary girl's everyday life, with a gentle final-page reveal that she uses a wheelchair. A much-loved disability-inclusion classic.
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You Can
by Alexandra Strick & Steve Antony
Ages 2–7
A joyful, rhyming picture book in the real words of disabled children themselves, imagining all the things they can be and do when the world is built around them.
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What Happened To You?
by James Catchpole
Ages 4–8
Joe just wants to play pirates in the park, but every new child who meets him asks the same question about his missing leg. A funny, honest, practical picture book, written by an author with a limb difference himself.
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This Is Me
by George Webster & Claire Taylor
Ages 3–7
CBeebies presenter George Webster, who has Down syndrome, celebrates everything that makes each of us unique — our bodies, families, feelings and dreams.
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Talking Is Not My Thing
by Rose Robbins
Ages 3–7
A lively picture book following a non-verbal autistic girl and her big brother through their busy day — full of energy, humor and a fresh way of seeing communication.
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Mother Teresa (Little People, Big Dreams)
by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara
Ages 4–8
The nun who made Kolkata her home and devoted her life to caring for the poorest of the poor.
