How often have you heard or even said “put yourself in their shoes”. This ability to understand and share the feelings of another is empathy and an important trait to teach children. It keeps us all connected and makes us better people. We are not born with empathy but rather must learn it. This can be taught in many ways such as role modeling it. Another way is to read books that can spark conversation about what it means to be empathetic. One of my favorites which I used with my two children is Hey Little Ant by Phillip & Hannah Hoose. A boy is going to step on an ant when the ant asks him for mercy. The conversation that follows gave my children lots of “food for thought” and best of all the author did not give the story an ending but left it with the question…what would you do?

 Here are a few books that can help you have this conversation with your children:

1. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson

Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town. But today, CJ wonders why they don’t own a car like his friend Colby. Why doesn’t he have an iPod like the boys on the bus? How come they always have to get off in the dirty part of town? Each question is met with an encouraging answer from grandma, who helps him see the beauty—and fun—in their routine and the world around them.

2. A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead

Friends come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. In Amos McGee’s case, all sorts of species, too! Every day he spends a little bit of time with each of his friends at the zoo, running races with the tortoise, keeping the shy penguin company, and even reading bedtime stories to the owl. But when Amos is too sick to make it to the zoo, his animal friends decide it’s time they returned the favor.

3. The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss creates another timeless picture-book classic with The Sneetches and Other Stories. Are you a Star-Belly Sneetch or a Plain-Belly Sneetch? This delightful book contains four tales with deliciously subtle takes on how silly it is to be, well, silly. “The Sneetches,” “The Zax,” “Too Many Daves,” and “What Was I Scared Of?” make this energetic compilation a must-have for every library. Full of Dr. Seuss’s signature rhymes and unmistakable characters, it’s perfect for new and lifelong Seuss fans.

4. The Monster Who Lost His Mean by Tiffany Strelitz Haber and illustrated by Kristie Edmunds

Everyone knows that the M in “monster” stands for MEAN. But what happens when a monster can’t be mean any more? Is he still a monster at all? One young monster’s attempts to live up to his name go hilariously awry as he discovers―with a little help from new friends―that it’s not what you’re called but who you are that counts.

5. Enemy Pie by Derek Munson

It was the perfect summer. That is, until Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street and became neighborhood enemy number one. Luckily Dad had a surefire way to get rid of enemies: Enemy Pie. But part of the secret recipe is spending an entire day playing with the enemy! In this funny yet endearing story, one little boy learns an effective recipes for turning your best enemy into your best friend.

6. Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen

A small boy, not allowed to have a dog because times are tight, finds a starving kitten in a trash can on the same day his father loses his job.

7. Hey, Little Ant by Phillip M. Hoose and Hannah Hoose

What would you do if the ant you were about to step on looked up and started talking? Would you stop and listen? What if your friends saw you hesitate? That’s what happens in this funny, thought-provoking book. Originally a song by a father-daughter team, this conversation between two creatures, large and small, is bound to inspire important discussions. It might even answer that classic childhood question: To squish or not to squish?