Children's Literature and the Development of Empathy in Young Children

Abstract

Abstract: An attempt is made to distinguish four stages in the development of empathy during the pre‐school years. The method adopted is to examine four popular books frequently read to children throughout this age span and to show briefly how each contributes to the development of children's empathy by illustrating in a progressively more complex way situations which correspond to the child's own experience. It is assumed that the child's identification with the heroes of these books will both draw upon his present capacity for empathy and develop it further.