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You are here: Home / Archives for Children’s Literature

Children's Literature

These 5 Kids’ Books about Empathy Teach Us How to Love Like God

Alissa Ellett 1 Comment

Read these kids’ books about empathy with your young ones and teach them how to live out their faith in tangible ways every day.

kids books about empathy

What kids’ books about empathy do you enjoy with your young ones? Tell us in the comments below!

Why does empathy matter?

We begin to understand others. When we practice empathy, we place ourselves in someone else’s shoes. This is important for so many reasons.

Empathy teaches us about God’s love. God lived in the person of Jesus. And God lives within and through us and all of creation now. God, by nature of being incarnational, is empathetic. We love like God when we practice empathy.

Empathy enriches our relationships. When we use our energy to understand those around us we become more connected. We know our close ones more deeply. And around us people feel safer to be who they are.

Empathy improves group dynamics. When a group is full of people who practice empathy lots of amazing things are true. Violence is lower. Communication is better. Self-expression increases. Creativity and innovation thrive.

Empathy helps us cultivate self-acceptance. We learn to understand the experience of others. Consequently, we begin to see our past self as an “other” to understand. We can look to less aware, experienced, healthy, kind, brave… selves as ones to be seen and loved.

Bottom line? Empathy is utterly foundational to making compassionate decisions. If we are to live out our faith with compassion, which is kind of the point, we must develop our ability to empathize.

kids books on empathy

Wonder

Age range: 8-12 years old

August Pullman is a 10-year-old boy who likes Star Wars and Xbox, ordinary except for his jarring facial anomalies. Homeschooled all his life, August heads to public school for fifth grade and he is not the only one changed by the experience–something we learn about first-hand through the narratives of those who orbit his world. August’s internal dialogue and interactions with students and family ring true, and though remarkably courageous he comes across as a sweet, funny boy who wants the same things others want: friendship, understanding, and the freedom to be himself.

Auggie & Me

Age range: 8-12 years old

Auggie & Me gives readers a special look at the world of Wonder through three new points of view. These stories are an extra peek at Auggie before he started at Beecher Prep and during his first year there. Readers get to see him through the eyes of Julian, the bully; Christopher, Auggie’s oldest friend; and Charlotte, Auggie’s new friend at school. What an opportunity for empathic learning! Together, these three stories are a treasure for readers who don’t want to leave Auggie behind.

kids books on empathy

Amazing Grace

Age range: 4-8 years old

Grace loves stories, whether she hears them, reads them, or makes them up. Possessed with a marvelous imagination as well as a strong flair for the dramatic, she acts the stories out, always giving herself the most exciting parts. Thus, it is natural when her teacher announces a classroom production of Peter Pan , that Grace wants to play the lead. One classmate says she can’t because she’s a girl and another says she can’t because she’s black. When a saddened Grace relates the days events to her mother and grandmother, they tell her she can be anything she wants to, if she puts her mind to it.

The Invisible Boy

Age range: 6-9 years old

The Invisible Boy follows the journey of Brian, a boy who feels unnoticed by his peers – invisible – in school. Brian is the only kid not chosen for a kickball team and is left out of a fellow student’s birthday party. It isn’t until a new kid, Justin – a boy with a few quirks of his own – joins the class that Brian begins to feel more visible.

The One and Only Ivan

Age range: 8-12 years old

Having spent twenty-seven years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan, a captive gorilla, has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.

Have fun reading these kids’ books on empathy with your young ones. And don’t forget to share your ideas, too, in the comments below!

5 Inspiring Books That Teach Kids Self Confidence

Alissa Ellett Leave a Comment

Teaching kids self-confidence begins with a positive sense of who they are. And we found five fantastic books that will help cultivate that in them!

kids self confidence 101

What’s a Positive Sense of Self?

A sense of self is a complex concept. It involves both the inner and outer self, who one perceives themselves to be. Young children, though often unable to express their sense of self verbally, are developing the way they think about themselves.

Children are gathering information to answer key questions for themselves. Am I smart? Am I brave and capable? Can I try new things? Will I be okay? Do I matter? Am I loved? Do I belong? The answers to these questions and more are those that makeup one’s sense of self.

What books do you have in your kids’ library that teach self-confidence? Share in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you and your ICM community would, too!

Why It Matters

One’s faith, and therefore one’s understanding of God’s love and the grace and support of a church community, can offer much in teaching kids self-confidence. Mentors, spiritual guides, pastors, parents, worship leaders, counselors: you all matter!

As children grow into their sense of self their actions will be a reflection of who they believe they are. The ways they think about themselves will lead to how they live. The most valuable gift we can offer children, no matter our role in their lives, is a positive sense of self.

kids self confidence 102

Timeless Gift

A positive sense of self is timeless, staying with a child all their life. Children who feel loved and confident develop into happy, productive people. And teaching kids self-confidence starts with messages about who they are.

We hope these five books are tools you can use in teaching children in your life just how wonderful they are.

5 Books That Teach Kids Self Confidence

When God Made You

by Matthew Paul Turner

From early on, children are looking to discover their place in the world and longing to understand how their personalities, traits, and talents fit in. The assurance that they are deeply loved and a unique creation in our big universe is certain to help them spread their wings and fly.

Through playful, charming rhyme and vivid, fantastical illustrations, When God Made You inspires young readers to learn about their own special gifts and how they fit into God’s divine plan as they grow, explore, and begin to create for themselves.

kids self confidence 103

Dear Girl,

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal

A New York Times #1 Bestseller, Dear Girl, is a remarkable love letter written for the special girl in your life; a gentle reminder that she’s powerful, strong, and holds a valuable place in the world.

Through Amy and Paris’s charming text and Holly Hatam’s stunning illustrations, any girl reading this book will feel that she’s great just the way she is—whether she enjoys jumping in a muddy puddle, has a face full of freckles, or dances on table tops.

Dear Girl, encourages girls to always be themselves and to love who they are—inside and out.

I Matter

by Laurie N. Wright

Kids should know they matter even when the words aren’t said!

Sometimes Elise feels happy, but sometimes she feels sad. There are things in her life that even make her feel MAD. Elise is a clever little girl, however, so she stops and thinks about her feelings, and realizes that she is always important and that she MATTERS.

Kids matter to their family and friends, and to the world around them, and they need to know it. Use this book to help them learn a lesson that will last a lifetime.

kids self confidence 104

I’m NOT Just a Scribble

by Diane Alber

Scribble, the book’s main character, never thought he was different until he met his first drawing. Then, after being left out because he didn’t look like everyone else, Scribble teaches the drawings how to accept each other for who they are. This enables them to create amazing art.

This book not only has illustrations that any child can recognize but it also addresses inclusion without boundaries so that anyone can relate to it. Each book comes with 100 stickers so that children can create their very own Scribble. They will be able to learn the emotions discussed in the book as well as associate colors with feelings in a fun creative way.

You’re All Kinds of Wonderful

by Nancy Tillman

Part of growing up is discovering―and embracing―what makes us unique. From different abilities to different personalities, we are all wonderfully made with our own bells and whistles.

Once again, New York Times bestselling author and artist Nancy Tillman takes a universal truth and makes it accessible for readers young and old.

kids self confidence 105

You Are a Blessing

If you’re reading this, you’re likely already a blessing to the children in your life. Continue noticing the unique way God has and is crafting your young ones and speak to them often about it. We hope you find great joy with them as they learn their great value and place in the world and that these books are a fun tool to use along the way.

And don’t forget to share in the comments below what books you keep in your library that you use in teaching kids self-confidence!

Parenting Forward: An interview with author Cindy Wang Brandt

Alissa Ellett Leave a Comment

Get the inside scoop from our conversation with Cindy Wang Brandt, author of Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness, a phenomenal new book we’ve all been searching for.

parenting forward

Have you ever looked for solid faith-inspired parenting guidance? Some of us might have come up with only a few resources. And maybe some of us have given up trying after repeated disappointment. Well, we’ve got some great news. We found a serious gem for you to check out!

Here at Illustrated Children’s Ministry, we believe Parenting Forward by Cindy Wang Brandt is the book so many parents and church workers have long been searching for. And for the inside scoop, we got the chance to chat with Cindy herself.

Cindy speaks with such honesty, thoughtfulness, and grace. We think you’ll find her to be refreshing and her work to be a helpful tool for the journey. Oh, and drop your name in the hat to download the first chapter for free!

FREE CHAPTER SAMPLE

Would you like to download a free chapter from Cindy’s book. To receive your PDF download of the first chapter, click here!

Brought to Life

Q: First, Cindy, thanks so much for getting together to talk with us about Parenting Forward. How did you come to bring this book into the world?

A: As someone who grew up conservative evangelical, like many others in my generation, I’m starting to re-think a lot of my faith values. And as a parent, I realized that teaching children faith values I had not been taught, or have shifted away from, caused tension.

I needed to find a community who would wrestle with me, and join me in the task of re-imagining a faith that is relevant for our children and healthier for their well-being.

This book is a culmination of the conversations I’ve had with parenting and faith experts, and everyday parents, answering this guiding question: What does it look like to raise children WITH justice FOR justice?

parenting forward
Cindy Wang Brandt, author of Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness

Q: What was the journey of writing Parenting Forward like?

A: Before I wrote this book, I spent my writing time in faith spaces and social justice conversations. I contended with big, serious theological propositions, and got outraged over injustice, to the point of burning out.

Writing this book allowed me to approach these critically important justice conversations from the perspective of children.

Anytime we are lucky enough to be in close proximity with children, they give us great joy. Their whimsy, vitality, and their always-surprising perspectives, are such a gift. The process of writing the book taught me that children and young people are essential for sustaining our justice movements because their presence is an everflowing source of hope.

Power Placement

Q: The element of allowing children autonomy and agency is an important one for you, which opposes a long-standing culture of children being seen and not heard. How can ministry leaders practically create environments that foster children’s autonomy and honor children’s voices?

A: When we think of inclusion, we often make the mistake of thinking being welcoming is enough. But it’s not enough to just welcome all different kinds of people into the church. We need to look at the leadership structure: who has the power to make the decisions that impact the church?

True inclusion gives access to those spaces – the decision-making spaces. For children, it’s not enough to tack children on to programs at the last minute and announce that children are very welcome. Children should be involved at the beginning of the planning process, and their opinions should be solicited and taken into consideration.

Of course, we can’t expect children to sit through hour-long church meetings (adults could stand to rethink hour-long meetings as well, for what it’s worth). However, we need to find ways to involve children’s participation in programming that’s designed for them.

Q: What markers can families look for in order to identify churches that are practicing justice with children?

A: I’d look for explicit affirmation of children in church bulletins, announcements, and whether children are given access in church spaces.

More broadly, I’d be on the lookout for authoritarianism in a church. Whenever a strict hierarchy is imposed where power flows from the top down, it’s a bad environment for children, because they always end up at the bottom of every hierarchy and given little control.

Again, look for where the power is located. If it’s centralized in solely patriarchal figures, that’s a red flag. If the power is distributed to groups and committees that are represented by women and other marginalized people, it is better positioned to treat children with justice.

parenting forward

Healthy Instruction

Q: Can you tell us a bit about teaching the Bible so kids use their power for justice and come away with a healthy spirituality?

A: Offer it to them not as doctrine, but as one tool out of many that they can use to exercise their spirituality. Give them responsible hermeneutics; in other words, help them learn the Bible in the way the Bible should be read, and not as a fundamentalist Bible Thumper. This includes situating Bible stories within a larger narrative framework, understanding the various genres, and doing critical engagement with the text.

Some of the potential pitfalls of incorrectly teaching the Bible to children include:

  • convincing children to use it as a moral manual (or map)
  • teaching children that the Bible should primarily be used as a tool for apologetics

(Psst… read even more about teaching kids how to use the Bible over here…)

For Further Reading

Q: What resources can you recommend to readers that have guided your journey in raising kids justly?

A: I love the book Raising White Kids, by Jennifer Harvey for inspiring racial justice. If you’re interested in diversifying your bookshelves, my favorite children’s book curation site is Books for Littles. Check out Amaze.org for quality sex education resources. Queer Kids Stuff is great, too, and teaches younger, pre-school kids about the gender spectrum. I’m really into what Radical Cram School is creating around diverse Asian girls’ voices.

For ministry resources…well, my go-to recommendation is Illustrated Children’s Ministry. (wink, wink) But I’ve also curated a list of children’s books for progressive spirituality over on Amazon.

Q: Again, thanks so much, Cindy. Where can our readers learn more about you and follow your work?

A: Thanks so much for having me! Check out more about me and my work over on my website.

Friends, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness.

Better yet, sign up to get a free sample by clicking here!

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