EmpathyLabUK

#WorldBookDay @worldbookdayuk.bsky.social

EmpathyLab is Going All In with the 2026 Read for Empathy collection this #WorldBookDay
Stories connect us with ourselves, others and the world around us, so we’re sharing messages to our younger selves, inspired by this year’s collection - stories that help us feel braver, kinder and less alone.

Paul from the EmpathyLab team met some fantastic young people and teachers - talking with them about the power of stories, how they help us understand perspective and most importantly how they can help shape a better world. A brilliant day!

What a delight to spend time at the Young Writers Conference at The Lowry Theatre in Salford yesterday.

Organised by @firststory_uk the conference brought together over 200 pupils from Greater Manchester to share stories and develop their own writing skills.

🎥Hear from the expert judges behind the 2026 Read for Empathy collection

Professor Teresa Cremin shares how books that invite us to walk in others’ shoes can make a real difference.

Explore the 2026 collection and download your free guides: empathylab.uk/RFE/

#ReadForEmpathy

Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Graphic novels (primary)

⭐ PAWS: Gabby Gets It Together @nathanfairbairn & @msassyk
⭐ Higher Ground @tull_suwannakit
⭐ Unfaries @huwaaron
⭐ The Cartoonists Club @goraina & @_scott_mccloud

⭐ The Doughnut Club @krahimwrites
⭐ Evie and Maryam’s Family Tree @janeenhayat

Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Novels 2/2 (primary)

⭐ People Like Stars @lawrencepatrice
⭐ The Bird Thief @rachelkeatingauthor
⭐ The Boy in the Tree @lisathompsonwrites & @katiekearillustration

⭐ Jakub’s Otter @rumblecoral
⭐ Zac and Jac Cathy Jenkins

Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Novels 1/2 (primary)

⭐ Land of the Last Wildcat @lui.land & @daviddeanillustration
⭐ Birdie @jprosewriter
⭐ Cobweb @michaelmorpugo & Michael Foreman

🎥Hear from the expert judges behind the 2026 Read for Empathy collection

Jon Biddle speaks about the importance of booktalk: “It’s the conversations we have about books where the impact lies.”

Explore the collection and download free guides: empathylab.uk/RFE/

#ReadForEmpathy

Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Non-fiction (primary)

⭐ All Brains Are Wonderful @MrEPrimary & @mrpratto
⭐ Why Are There Wars? @katiemdaynes & @oksanadrachkovskaillustration
⭐ Its OK to Say No @mollypotter3545 & @sarahjscribbles
⭐ Star! @michaelamorganpoet

⭐ One Day: A True Story of Courage and Survival in the Holocaust @iammichaelrosen & @benjamindraws
⭐ Owning It: Our Disabled Childhoods...In Our Own Words @thecatchpoles & @sophiekamlish
⭐ Make Good Trouble @jamiaawilson

Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Non-fiction (secondary)

⭐ How To Love @webcomic_name
⭐ Breakthrough: From the Streets to Success @omarsharif_official
⭐ How to be Disabled and Proud Cathy Reay

🎥Hear from the expert judges behind the 2026 Read for Empathy collection

Sarah Smith believes there's a book for everyone in the collection and invites you to "join the empathy journey".

Explore the collection and download free guides: empathylab.uk/RFE/

#ReadForEmpathy

Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Early readers

⭐ Vicky and June @patricia.toht & @hoangiang
⭐ The Missing Bunny @hollywebbauthor & @antoniaillustrates
⭐ The Moonlight Mystery Agency: The Birthday Cake Thief @vashtiahardy & @agnessaccani

Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Graphic novels (secondary)

⭐ Ditching Saskia @dontpanicjohn & @_neetols_
⭐ When The Sky Falls @philearle & Fred Fordham
⭐ Mismatched @annecamlin & @imzeferino
⭐ Kick Flip @ldlapinski & @loganillustrates

🎥Hear from the expert judges behind the 2026 Read for Empathy collection

Phoebe Demeger celebrates this year’s diverse list, all chosen to help young readers explore emotions, build empathy and think more deeply.

Explore the collection: empathylab.uk/RFE/

#ReadForEmpathy

Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Poetry (primary)
⭐ This Is Not a Small Voice @tracintodd & @jadefrolics
⭐ Red Sky in the Morning, Poet’s Warning @alexwharton_ & @ianmorris_22
⭐ Out Of This World @iammichaelrosen & @ed_vere
⭐ Harriet Tubman, Force of Nature @carolinebrewerbooks

⭐ The Five @elganrhys
⭐ What Happens Online @natelessore

Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Novels 2/2 (secondary)

⭐ The Boy I love @whusseyauthor
⭐ Odd Girl Out @tasneemarashid
⭐ Wish You Were Her @ellemcnicollofficial
⭐ Twenty-Four Seconds From Now @jasonreynolds83

⭐ I’m Going to Make a Friend @rapclassroom & @sandhyaprabhat
⭐ The Endless Sea @cheevil & @daottlinh
⭐ Twigs and Stones Joy Cowley & Gavin Bishop
⭐ Noah’s New Home @ze_shanakhter & @adaninabila.illo
⭐ The Bear Shaped Hole @writerpoetjohn & @thomasdochertyillustrator

Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Picture books
⭐ The Playdate @ujebrandelius & @claradackenberg
⭐ The Dinosaur Next Door @david_c_litchfield
⭐ The Bicycle Patricia McCormick & @mevanbabakar & @yas.imamura
⭐ Leave the Trees Please @officialbenjaminzephaniah & @melissa.castrillon

⭐ Lover Birds @leoneganauthor
⭐ On the Edge @nicolagarrard7
bluesky: @nmgarrard.bsky.social
facebook: NM Garrard

How are you using these books in your setting?

#ReadForEmpathy

📚 Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Novels 1/2 (secondary)

⭐ Jellybean @eveainsworth & @theoblue.jpg
⭐ My Name is Sanim @fidan_writes
⭐ Phoenix Brothers @sita.brahmachari

⭐ This is Us: The Story of a family @emilyhamiltonillustration
⭐ What Feelings Do When No One’s Looking @tinaoziewicz & @ale.zajac
⭐ Where Did She Go? @cariadlloyd & @tompercivalbooks

Which book will you be sharing?

#ReadForEmpathy

📚 Spotlighting the 2026 Read for Empathy collection: Emotions (primary)

⭐ The Hideysaurus @rachelbrightbooks & @chatterton1
⭐ Kwesi and Nana Ruby Learn to Swim @kobinacommeh & @barah.ilustra
⭐ When I Am Kind IG: @childsplaybooks BS: @childs-play.co.uk @paulabowles_illustrator

Join us for our free webinar tomorrow, Thursday 12th February, 4pm, to explore the collection and discover how these stories can support meaningful conversations and a sense of belonging to every child

Belonging is at the heart of this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week theme, This is My Place.

Our 2026 Read for Empathy collection brings together books that open those spaces and help everyone #GoAllIn for connection during the National Year of Reading

For #8BrilliantBooks2026 and #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek, we’re sharing stories from our 2026 Read for Empathy Collection that echo this year’s theme: This Is My Place.

You can join us for a deeper dive into the full collection this Thursday 12th February, 4pm with our FREE webinar. Book today!