Books about feelings and empathy for kids
The best books about feelings and empathy for kids include The Color Monster, The Rabbit Listened and Each Kindness. Stories let a child feel what a character feels and talk about it safely, which is how empathy grows.
12 books, checked for age-appropriate content.
Content checked by Dhiraj Bodade, co-founder of Bookstaken.
- 1
Ages 6–8
The Color Monster
by Anna Llenas
The Color Monster wakes up feeling all mixed up, with his emotions tangled together in a messy jumble. A patient friend helps him sort through his feelings one by one, linking happiness to yellow sunshine, sadness to blue rain, anger to bright red, fear to dark shadows, and calm to green leaves.
- 2
Ages 6–8
The Rabbit Listened
by Cori Doerrfeld
When Taylor builds something special out of blocks, an unexpected accident knocks it all down. One by one, different animal friends arrive with well-meaning suggestions: the chicken wants to talk about it, the bear wants to roar with anger, and the ostrich wants to hide. Invites children to share how they might feel or act in the same situation.
- 3
Ages 6–11
Each Kindness
by Jacqueline Woodson
Chloe and her friends repeatedly shut out Maya, a new girl at school whose clothes are worn and who plays alone. Each time Maya tries to join in, she is met with cold stares and laughter. Offers space for thoughtful conversations about empathy and difficult choices.
- 4
Ages 6–8
The Invisible String
by Patrice Karst
During a scary thunderstorm, a mother comforts her twins by sharing a comforting secret: an invisible string made of love connects people to everyone they care about, no matter how far apart they are. Encourages gentle, guided conversations about challenging feelings and experiences.
- 5
Ages 9–11
The Hundred Dresses
by Eleanor Estes
Wanda Petronski is a quiet Polish girl who wears the same faded blue dress to school every day, yet insists she has one hundred beautiful dresses lined up in her closet. Invites older readers to reflect on compassion, courage, and resilience.
- 6
Ages 9–14
Wonder
by R.J. Palacio
Ten-year-old August Pullman was born with severe facial differences that kept him out of mainstream school—until now. Entering fifth grade at Beecher Prep, Auggie wants nothing more than to be treated like an ordinary kid, but his new classmates struggle to look past his appearance. Encourages gentle, guided conversations about challenging feelings and experiences.
- 7
Ages 9–14
The Boy at the Back of the Class
by Onjali Q. Rauf
When nine-year-old Ahmet arrives in their classroom, an empty seat at the back is finally filled. He does not speak English and rarely smiles, but a determined group of classmates soon discovers that he is a refugee who fled war in Syria and became separated from his family. Offers space for thoughtful conversations about empathy and difficult choices.
- 8
Ages 6–8
What Should Danny Do?
by Adir Levy & Ganit Levy
Follow Danny, a young boy in training to be a superhero, as he navigates everyday challenges at home and school. Using an interactive 'choose your own path' format, young readers make decisions for Danny—like whether to share toys or throw a tantrum—and immediately see how those choices shape the rest of his day. A reassuring choice for talking about emotions and growing confidence.
- 9
Ages 9–11
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri
Sent to live high in the Swiss Alps with her grumpy, reclusive grandfather, cheerful orphan Heidi quickly falls in love with mountain life, the goats, and her new friend Peter. Invites children to share how they might feel or act in the same situation.
- 10
Ages 12–14
New Kid
by Jerry Craft
Seventh-grader Jordan Banks loves drawing cartoons and dreams of art school, but his parents enroll him in an elite, academically rigorous private academy where he is one of the few kids of colour. Offers space for thoughtful conversations about empathy and difficult choices.
- 11
Ages 9–14
Rules
by Cynthia Lord
Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life, which feels impossible with her younger brother David, who has autism. She creates lists of rules for David to help him navigate the world, but her own life gets complicated over the summer.
- 12
Ages 8–12
The Blue Umbrella
by Ruskin Bond
In a small village nestled in the hills of Garhwal, young Binya trades her leopard-claw necklace for a stunning, bright blue silk umbrella. Her new possession quickly becomes the talk of the town, drawing admiration from her neighbours and intense envy from the local shopkeeper, Ram Bharosa. Encourages gentle, guided conversations about challenging feelings and experiences.
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