Editorial 268
Welcome to the first issue of Books for Keeps of the new school year/autumn. After a summer which saw violent racist riots in England, we’re hoping for kinder months ahead that restore people’s sense of community. We’re pleased to share a selection of books selected by Letterbox Library to challenge the prejudice of those who backed the riots, and to report on the latest initiative from EmpathyLab.
EmpathyLab is calling on new Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to ‘mainstream’ empathy education as an antidote to hatred and division, and for a new drive using reading to build children’s ability to empathise with others. ‘We see empathy as a fundamental life skill’, says Miranda McKearney, EmpathyLab’s founder, who is delighted to see the OECD highlight its importance in their Future of Education and Skills 2030.’
EmpathyLab’s letter highlights scientific research showing that empathy is learnable – only 10% of the variation in people’s levels of empathy can be explained by genes. (Warrier et al., 2018). It calls for the government’s fort
Empathy Day 2024 event in Manchester using books to help children develop their empathy skills.
Authors taking part in the event inclued Steven Lenton, E.L. Norry (Emma), Tom Percival and host Paul Jenkins
Pictured Pupils at the event
hcoming curriculum review to focus on using reading more cannily, since research also shows that reading fiction can build real-life empathy.
Whatever you think is the purpose of reading, it’s clear that as EmpathyLab’s partner Professor Robin Banerjee of The University of Sussex’s School of Psychology says, ‘Cultivating empathy should be a priority within the curriculum as part of a greater focus on social and emotional skills.’
EmpathyLab has new resources for teachers, Don’t Hate, Educate, available for teachers to use immediately, including a list of recommended books for children. It has also partnered with the United Kingdom Literacy Association to offer discussion prompts, booklists and family activities.
In the words of teacher Jon Biddle, Moorlands Primary Academy, ‘EmpathyLab’s book collections are going to be more important than ever as schools return. They’re all books which deliver powerful messages about community, acceptance, understanding and compassion”.
New psychology research is also underway. EmpathyLab is also the impact partner for a major University of Sussex research project on the connections between reading fiction and children’s empathy. Professor Banerjee says, ‘Empathy is a critical focus for work that many schools are undertaking to promote children’s social and emotional learning, which goes hand in hand with developing academic skills. The power of children’s books as a vehicle for supporting this learning deserves the urgent attention of policymakers and practitioners.’ The three year research is funded by UK Research and Innovation and reports in 2025. https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FW001462%2F1
World Book Day 2025
This week, World Book Day revealed the 15 £1/€1.50 books that children will be able to pick up for free this year in exchange for their £1 token. Its 2024 impact report highlighted the importance of choice when it comes to children’s reading for pleasure. When asked, 47% of children said reading is best ‘when they can choose what to read’ and 25% said they wanted more freedom to read in other ways, such as graphic novels/ audiobooks.
Children were involved in selecting the titles this year therefore, and the £1/€1.50 book line-up includes short stories starring Bluey and Paddington Bear, as well as an Acorn Wood search-and-find story from children’s book superstars Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, and new Barbara story from Nadia Shireen. It’s good to see that a selection of poems from former Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho is also included.
For older readers, there’s a thriller from Benjamin Dean and a football story from Tom Palmer; a fart-heavy story by actor Stephen Mangan, but also a fantasy adventure by Kiran Millwood Hargrave. Books featuring, we quote, ‘the beloved and globally renowned brands Pokémon and the LEGO® Group’ also feature in this year’s selection. Find the full list and details here.
As all BfK readers know, reading for pleasure continues to be the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success – more than family circumstances, parents’ educational background or their income. And if reading more widely can stop young people believing the lies propagated by too many politicians at the moment, then children’s books have the potential to create a better future for us all.
No pressure then, but we hope you find lots of books you’ll want to share in this issue.
Happy, positive reading!
