That books allow readers to experience other people's lives is certainly no secret. The immersion in other worlds and characters' psyches is the main reason I love reading so much. But while it seems obvious to bibliophiles that we can live a thousand other lives simply by opening books, I find that the converse is true as well: if a child never opens a book, he or she is confined to one life, and the insular thinking that such a life may bring. Reading allows the development of empathy that other media can't. However many movies, television shows, or MMORPGs a child experiences, the depth of feeling and the time involved inside someone else's life does not compare to what a book can hold. So for the next several months, I will be reviewing books that specifically address developing empathy, as this is a skill I see lacking in my students and in the larger context of our society as well. For strategies for teaching empathy, please see "Building Empathy in Classrooms and Schools" and "Empathy in the Classroom: Why Should I Care?"
