We are often reminded that reading is an essential life skill and helps children develop crucial spelling, vocabulary, knowledge and memory abilities. But reading gives so much more than that, it is also the perfect way to introduce the concept of empathy.

When children read stories (or are read to), they begin to understand the story from the perspective of the characters involved. When they start seeing the world through someone else’s eyes this allows them to develop an understanding and respect for the experiences of others.

With this in mind, we have been carefully selecting new resources for our Junior library collection with stories that feature themes of kindness, compassion and empathy.

Encouraging an empathetic mindset when reading with your child is as simple as asking “What if”:

  • What if that happened to you?
  • What would you say?
  • What would you do?
  • How would you feel if that happened to you?
  • How do you think (the character in the book) feels?


We also support our Junior School Wellbeing Programme by sourcing resources and stories about gratitude, resilience and forgiveness, and there will always be a place in our collection for the silly and funny books that make children laugh and make story times so much fun.

We are passionate about supporting the development of our student’s literacy through the power of reading and we will continue to carefully select a variety of books that nurture every area of their development.

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