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Friendship, Empathy & Meaningful Connection
43
items Discover tools to build friendship, empathy, and connection. Explore tips, stories, and resources to nurture meaningful relationships and social well-being.
Sections
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Empathy Books for Early Elementary Grades
Friendship & Connections
Empathy Books for Middle Elementary Grades
Empathy Books for Middle Schoolers
Empathy Books for Early Elementary Grades
"I Am Human” by Susan Verde is one of those picture books that stays with you long after you close the pages. It’s such a gentle, beautiful way to help kids (and honestly, adults too) understand empathy in simple, heartfelt ways. The words are calmin...
I Am Human: A Book of Empathy
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld is such a gentle, thoughtful story. When Taylor feels sad, all the other animals try to fix things—but the rabbit simply listens. That’s the heart of the book: sometimes the best way to help isn’t advice or solut...
The Rabbit Listened
Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse” by Marcy Campbell is quietly powerful in the best way. Chloe is sure Adrian’s just telling tall tales—how could a boy with holes in his shoes and a tiny house own a horse? But then her mom takes her on a walk, and...
Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse
“Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Peña is such a down-to-earth, heartfelt story. Riding the bus with his Nana, CJ starts to notice all the things they don’t have—like a car, or the shiny stuff his friends might enjoy. Nana doesn’t brush off ...
Last Stop on Market Street
“How to Be a Lion” by Ed Vere is a sweet, thoughtful story about being yourself—even when others expect something different. Leonard isn’t like the other lions; he prefers writing poetry and spending time with his friend, Marianne the duck. When the ...
How to Be a Lion
“How to Help a Friend” by Karl Newson is a wonderful picture book that gently shows there’s no one right way to support someone you care about. When a friend feels sad, it turns out they might need different things—some might want to talk, others nee...
How to Help a Friend
“The Other Side of Sorry” by Constance Jones is a sweet, rhyming story about empathy and understanding. When little AJ takes a toy he’s not supposed to, his mom shows him how our choices can affect others—and how saying sorry is just the beginning of...
The Other Side of Sorry
“It Will Be OK” by Lisa Katzenberger is such a comforting read. Giraffe and Zebra share their daily walk to the watering hole—but one day, Giraffe is stuck up in a tree, scared after spotting a spider. Instead of pushing or telling him not to be afra...
It Will Be Ok: A Story of Empathy, Kindness, and Friendship
“I’m Afraid, Said the Leaf” by Danielle Daniel is a gentle reminder that none of us—even a little leaf—are meant to face fear alone. As the story moves through different creatures—like a bird scared to fly or a hungry squirrel—a comforting presence s...
I'm Afraid, Said the Leaf
“That’s Not Funny, David!” by David Shannon is a playful snapshot of what happens when a kid tries just a bit too hard to be funny. David tries all sorts of antics—like cannonballing into the pool or slurping spaghetti—to get a laugh, even when it do...
That's Not Funny, David!
“Carmela Full of Wishes” by Matt de la Peña follows Carmela on her birthday, finally tall enough to run errands with her big brother. As they stroll through their neighborhood—from the bus stop to the panadería to the laundromat—Carmela spots a lone ...
Carmela Full of Wishes
“A Bear, a Fish, and a Fishy Wish” by Daniel Bernstrom turns a simple encounter into a fun little lesson about kindness. A hungry bear sets his sights on a small fish, only to find the fish has its own wishes—like getting home. What follows is a play...
A Bear, a Fish, and a Fishy Wish
“When Stars Are Scattered” follows Omar and his younger brother Hassan, who grow up in a refugee camp in Kenya after their parents disappeared during the Somali civil war. Omar must navigate the difficult choice of going to school—an opportunity that...
When Stars Are Scattered
Friendship & Connections
Looking for a sweet gift? Hey Friend, I Wrote a Book About You is a fun way to celebrate your friend with playful prompts that create a unique keepsake—perfect for any occasion!
Hey Friend, I Wrote a Book About You
Brighten your long-distance friendships with these touch lamps that light up when you connect—perfect for sharing love and warmth, no matter the miles!
Friendship Lamp® Classic Wi-Fi Touch Light
Imagine a world where generations have lived entirely underground—and now the lights are failing. Lina and Doon navigate flickering power, dwindling food, and hidden messages that might be the only way to save their city. The adventure only grows fro...
The City of Ember – First light, first escape, a quest sparked by curiosity and courage.
The People of Sparks – New world slowly takes shape—and alongside it, empathy as two groups learn to coexist.
The Prophet of Yonwood – A haunting prelude that explains how Ember began—highlighting fear, faith, and what makes people turn on each other… or stand up.
The Diamond of Darkhold – A return to Ember uncovers secrets and inventions that change the future—proof that light doesn’t just survive in dark places; it can thrive.
The City of Ember – First light, first escape, a quest sparked by curiosity and courage.
The People of Sparks – New world slowly takes shape—and alongside it, empathy as two groups learn to coexist.
The Prophet of Yonwood – A haunting prelude that explains how Ember began—highlighting fear, faith, and what makes people turn on each other… or stand up.
The Diamond of Darkhold – A return to Ember uncovers secrets and inventions that change the future—proof that light doesn’t just survive in dark places; it can thrive.
The City of Ember Complete Boxed Set: The City of Ember; The People of Sparks; The Diamond of Darkhold; The Prophet of Yonwood
“Harbor Me” brings us into a Brooklyn classroom where six fifth-graders—each carrying worries most adults would notice—get something extraordinary: one hour every Friday to talk uninterrupted. They dub it ARTT (A Room to Talk), where stories flow—fro...
Harbor Me
“Freak the Mighty” is the story of Max—a big kid who thinks he's dumb and carries more than his fair share of scars and secrets. Then Kevin (“Freak”) moves in next door: brilliant, brave, and physically fragile. Together, they become an unlikely duo—...
Freak the Mighty
The Running Dream introduces us to Jessica Carlisle, a high school track star whose life literally comes off the rails when a tragic accident results in the loss of her leg. Running wasn't just her passion—it was how she defined herself. Suddenly eve...
The Running Dream
Empathy Books for Middle Elementary Grades
“The War That Saved My Life” takes you straight into Ada’s world—a ten-year-old kept hidden away by her harsh mother because of her clubfoot. When the war sparks a chance to escape London with her brother Jamie, Ada discovers a new kind of life with ...
The War That Saved My Life: (Newbery Honor Award Winner)
“Ms. Bixby’s Last Day” is a story about three friends—Topher, Steve, and Brand—facing something none of them expected: their favorite teacher, Ms. Bixby, is seriously ill and can’t finish the school year. Instead of just sitting by, the boys head out...
Ms. Bixby's Last Day
“El Deafo: Superpowered Edition” tells Cece Bell’s real-life story as a kid growing up deaf—except everyone’s illustrated as bunnies, and she has a big hearing aid that becomes her “superpower.” In this edition, she’s not just navigating school and f...
El Deafo: Superpowered Edition!: A Graphic Novel
“Hello, Universe” by Erin Entrada Kelly is one of those stories that walks into your heart through its characters, not just its plot. It follows Virgil—a shy Filipino-American boy nicknamed “Turtle”—as he quietly wonders if he’ll ever connect with Va...
Hello, Universe
“Inside Out & Back Again” shares Hà’s story through a series of free-verse poems, following her as she flees Saigon at age ten and adjusts to a new life in Alabama. It’s such an honest look at growing up—missing home, learning a new language, fac...
Inside Out & Back Again
“Wolf Hollow” by Lauren Wolk leans right into the kinds of choices that stick with you—standing up when it's easier to stay quiet, and choosing kindness in unexpected ways. Twelve-year-old Annabelle lives in rural Pennsylvania during WWII, and when a...
Wolf Hollow
“Mockingbird” by Kathryn Erskine introduces Caitlin Smith—she's navigating school and life just fine with her routine, words, and drawings, until her brother is taken in a school shooting. Everything she thought made sense—emotion, color, normal—star...
Mockingbird
“Just Grace” by Charise Mericle Harper follows third-grader Grace Stewart—nicknamed "Just Grace" because she’s one of four girls with the same name in her class. She's full of big ideas: drawing comics, taking photos, and trying to help. But when her...
Just Grace
“How to Steal a Dog” by Barbara O’Connor tells the story of Georgina, a girl whose family has fallen on hard times after being evicted and living in their car. When she sees a missing-dog poster with a $500 reward—exactly what she needs for rent—she ...
How to Steal a Dog: A Novel
“Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key” by Jack Gantos introduces Joey, a kid whose mind races faster than he can keep up with—and whose meds often fall short of calming the chaos. He’s impulsive and heartfelt, with moments that land him in trouble (swallowin...
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key: (National Book Award Finalist)
“Paperboy” by Vince Vawter follows eleven-year-old Victor—whom everyone calls Little Man—as he tackles his friend’s paper route one summer in 1959 Memphis. He stutters, and speaking feels like a battle, but Mam (his nanny) encourages him to give it a...
Paperboy
“Crenshaw” by Katherine Applegate follows Jackson, a kid whose family’s been hanging on by a thread—could lose their home again—and he’s doing his best to stay brave. Then Crenshaw shows up: a seven-foot imaginary cat who’s part wisecracker, part cou...
Crenshaw
“Stargirl” by Jerry Spinelli may sound simple, but it’s one of those stories that gently asks, “What if being yourself was more powerful than fitting in?” It’s about Leo, an ordinary high school kid, whose life tilts when a homeschooled, ukulele-play...
Stargirl
“The Lion of Mars” by Jennifer L. Holm imagines what life might be like if a kid grew up on Mars—underground, surrounded by rules, and cut off from the rest of humanity. Eleven-year-old Bell loves cats, craves cake, and wonders what it was like on Ea...
The Lion of Mars
“The Beatryce Prophecy” by Kate DiCamillo unfolds like a medieval fable that gently shows how stories—and the people who tell them—can change the world. A mysterious, injured girl named Beatryce appears at a monastery, clutching the ear of a goat nam...
The Beatryce Prophecy
Empathy Books for Middle Schoolers
“Roll With It” by Jamie Sumner is about Ellie, a fiercely determined 12-year-old who lives with cerebral palsy and dreams of becoming a baker. When she and her mom relocate to her grandparents’ trailer in Oklahoma to help with her grandfather’s Alzhe...
Roll with It
“Ghost Boys: The Graphic Novel” reimagines Jewell Parker Rhodes’s powerful story in a format that’s vivid and hard to forget. We follow 12-year-old Jerome, who becomes a ghost after being tragically shot by a police officer mistaking his toy gun for ...
Ghost Boys: The Graphic Novel
“A Good Kind of Trouble” introduces us to Shayla, a seventh-grader who prides herself on never causing problems. She’s navigating the usual middle school swirl—friend drama, crushes, and track tryouts—until “trouble” starts looking a lot more meaning...
A Good Kind of Trouble
“The Star Outside My Window” follows 10-year-old Aniyah and her little brother Noah after their mother disappears and they find themselves in foster care with the kind Mrs. Iwuchukwu. Aniyah, who loves everything about stars, is sure her mum didn’t l...
The Star Outside My Window
“Restart” by Gordon Korman begins with Chase Ambrose waking up in a hospital bed…without any memory—not of the fall, and not even of his own name. Suddenly, the school’s former star athlete and biggest bully becomes a complete unknown to himself. As ...
Restart
“Speak Up, Santiago!” follows 12-year-old Santi, who heads to rural Hillside Valley for the summer—excited to explore but nervous, because he doesn’t speak Spanish as well as everyone else. Between hanging with new friends (like Sol, the book-loving ...
Speak Up, Santiago!
“Firegirl” by Tony Abbott takes you straight into seventh grade with Tom, a quiet kid who's used to being overlooked—until Jessica arrives. She’s a burn survivor, and her presence disrupts everything Tom thought he knew about his school, friendship, ...
Firegirl
“Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus” introduces you to Aven Green, a 13-year-old who was born without arms and handles it head-on—with humor, skill, and a no-nonsense attitude. When her family moves to manage a faded Wild West theme park in...
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
“White Bird” expands the world of Wonder by diving into a powerful story from Julian’s grandmother—Grandmère—when she was just Sara, a young Jewish girl hiding during Nazi-occupied France. It opens with Julian asking her to recount this chapter of he...
White Bird: A Wonder Story (A Graphic Novel)