Building Empathy Through Shared Reading

Key details

Date & Time: Thursday 23^rd April 2026, 3.30 – 5.00pm
Location: Online (Zoom link will be sent closer to the event)
Cost: Free – funded by Bookmark
Audience: Exclusively available to Bookmark partner schools

About the session

Stories do more than entertain – they shape how we connect with others. This interactive session, hosted by Bookmark in collaboration with Empathy Lab, will explore the neurological impact of stories and how our brains are wired to develop empathy through shared reading.

Register here for the event here.

We’ll provide a brief evidence-based overview of the link between reading enjoyment, social/​emotional development, and wellbeing – both for individuals and for creating cohesive communities.

The session will focus on two key empathy skills that can be built through reading:

• Language for emotions – developing complexity and nuance to support self-regulation
• Perspective taking – building shared character perspectives as a group

You’ll leave with practical tips and tools to embed these skills into everyday reading and story sharing, including:

• Empathy-focused book talk for sharing perspectives
• Leveraging illustrations to develop emotional vocabulary
• Classroom immersive activities to step into a character’s perspective — while staying within the safety of the story

We’ll also cover how to approach challenging topics, with guidance on building trust and safeguarding.

Finally, you’ll get an introduction to free resources from Empathy Lab, including details of Empathy Day Festival 2026, which will focus on wellbeing

Important details

• Spaces are limited – sign up early to avoid disappointment
• Zoom link will be emailed to registered participants closer to the event
• For any questions, please contact: programmedevelopment@​bookmarkreading.​org