Empathy Lab: Empathy Day 2023 - Plans Announced for Thursday 8th of June 2023 - Press Release

 

EMPATHY DAY steps up a gear as it returns for its seventh year – 

at a time of great need 

• Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho will share an exclusive Empathy Day poem as part of his national assembly beamed into UK classrooms 
• We’ve Got This! – a new empathy handbook for children, helping develop their superpower will be published on 18 May by the Quarto Group 
• 1,000 children will play empathy-boosting games in Manchester’s Velodrome with favourite authors & illustrators, Rob Biddulph, Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Sophy Henn    
• Leading authors and illustrators act as empathy role models in online festival, Empathy Day Live! 
• EMPATHY DAY 2023 is on 8 June 2023 

EmpathyLab has announced geared up plans for Empathy Day 2023 (Thursday 8 June), at a time of great concern about young people’s wellbeing – research shows that 1 in 16 10-15-year-olds are not happy with their lives and teachers report rising levels of anxiety and mental health problems. The social enterprise aims to involve 1 million children a year by 2026, acting as a focal point for celebrating empathy’s power to build a kinder, less divided world. 

From May, hundreds of thousands of children will get involved in learning more about empathy, and putting it into action, inspired and galvanised by leading children’s authors and illustrators. New plans announced for 2023 include:  

• To launch the Empathy Day Live! online festival on 8 June, Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho leads a national assembly featuring an exclusive Empathy Day poem. 
• The festival also stars top authors and illustrators modelling empathy-boosting Mission Empathy activities – including Cressida Cowell, Chris Riddell, Jacqueline Wilson, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Hannah Gold, Sharna Jackson, Sue Hendra, Louie Stowell, Rob Biddulph and Maisie Chan. 
• A new empathy handbook for 7-12-year-olds publishes on 18 May, written by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, in collaboration with EmpathyLab. We’ve Got This! takes readers through six simple steps to harness empathy as their human SUPERPOWER, and discover how using this power can change their lives and the world around them for the better. lllustrated by Juliana Eigner and published by Words & Pictures, all royalties support EmpathyLab’s work. 
• A special live event at Manchester Velodrome on Empathy Day itself, with 1,000 children playing empathy-boosting games with Rob Biddulph, Sophy Henn and Rashmi Sirdeshpande 
• Building partnership roster: Empathy Day has grown quickly, with the support of community partners who believe in EmpathyLab’s mission to raise an empathy educated generation. 2017 was the first year, and in 2022 402,000 children took part. This year sees growing momentum, with 47 children’s publishers pledging concrete support, and partners like Twinkl, Scottish Book Trust, The Week Junior, Authorfy, Toppsta, Manchester Libraries, Read Manchester and the National Literacy Trust increasing their involvement, helping EmpathyLab to benefit more children and young people.

“Empathy is a force for change, and we badly need that change. Empathy Day gives us all practical ways to support young people and develop everyone’s empathy skills and understanding” says founder Miranda McKearney OBE. “We’re passionate about giving every child the chance to be surrounded by empathetic adults and to learn more about this crucial life skill”. 

Five creative Mission Empathy activities for all 

At the heart of Empathy Day are five inspiring Mission Empathy Challenge activities for children to complete in class or at home. Designed to develop key empathy skills such as active listening and perspective-taking, the emphasis is on social change. Everyone is urged to make and enact Empathy Resolutions – small behaviour changes with a positive impact on the people around us. The Mission Empathy activities can be done from May onwards, and a key action is for schools and libraries is to sign up for free resources to take part https://bit.ly/EDay23Registration.

Leading authors and illustrators will model and celebrate these same five activities in the Empathy Day LIVE! Festival on 8 June, with bitesize films streaming into classrooms, assemblies, libraries or homes. Activities kick off at 9am with Joseph Coelho’s assembly, before a dazzling array of favourite authors & illustrators share their Empathy Resolutions and how they will be putting empathy into action, including Cressida Cowell, Chris Riddell, Jacqueline Wilson, A.M. Dassu, SF Said, Maisie Chan, Rosie Jones and Robin Stevens.

Finally, join beloved author and illustrator Rob Biddulph for a special empathy-themed ‘Draw with Rob’ from 2pm. 

All Empathy Day Live! events can be watched live at empathylab.uk/empathy-day-live, and will also be available to watch on demand. 

Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Shortlist 2020

Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Shortlists 2020 - A Voyage of Discovery

February: A beautifully illustrated celebration of hidden species, a vivid adventure story about a brave girl crossing the Himalayas and a thought-provoking collection of essays by gal-dem writers are amongst the eighteen shortlisted titles competing to win the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020.

Every year Waterstones’ expert booksellers are called upon to vote for the books they believe are the very best in new children’s writing and illustration. Now in its sixteenth year, the Prize has evolved into one of the most prestigious accolades for children’s books in the UK.  It has become a formidable platform for emerging talent, demonstrating its enduring relevance by bringing the best new books to readers’ attention every year and launching the careers of many children’s book authors and illustrators.

Last year’s winner The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf, Waterstones’ most successful winner yet, shot to the top of the bestseller charts following the Prize announcement and the novel saw an increase in sales of over 500%.

Florentyna Martin, Waterstones Children’s Buyer says: ‘One of the greatest pleasures in reading is the opportunity to explore, and this year’s authors and illustrators invite readers to join them on a voyage of discovery. In a shortlist of immersive fact and fiction, our booksellers have chosen to share narratives that offer readers of all ages the chance to explore a wide range of topics, from nature and identity to inner strength and the fabric of society. Whether meeting intriguing characters, navigating vibrant settings or uncovering thrilling plots, these books investigate what it means to understand yourself and the world around you.’

The shortlists consist of eighteen books across three categories. Six books will compete within each category to be crowned Category Winner, with the three category winners then vying for the overall title of Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year 2020. 

Kate Skipper, Waterstones COO says: ‘The Waterstones Children’s Book Prize is a highlight of my year. Every year, our booksellers consistently select stories that invariably jump off the page and into the reader’s imagination. No screen can compete with the power of a child’s imagination, it really is a wondrous thing. The shortlists this year are brilliant; I don’t envy the difficult choices ahead for our booksellers as they try to pick this year’s winners.’

The Illustrated Books shortlist explores nature with passion and joy. Ben Rothery’s beautifully illustrated Hidden Planet opens a door to a lesser-known animal world, whilst in Look Up!, an energetic and joyful story about science and space by Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola, budding astronaut and science fan Rocket want to share her excitement about an impending meteor shower. Graham Carter’s eponymous Otto Blotter, Bird Spotter sets out to explore the world and discovers something extraordinary, and in the magical and fun-filled Once Upon a Unicorn Horn by Beatrice Blue, June unexpectedly finds tiny flying horses in her garden. The shortlist concludes with One Fox by Kate Read, a counting farmyard adventure with a surprising twist, and Me and My Sister by Rose Robbins, a touching story about two siblings whose bond is stronger because of their differences.

Exploring mysteries and discovering hidden truths dominates the shortlist for Younger Readers. Jasbinder Bilan’s Asha & the Spirit Bird vividly tells the story of Asha’s journey across the Himalayas to find her father, and the gripping historical novel Our Castle by the Sea by Lucy Strange tells a story of hidden truths and revelations set on the Kent Coast in 1939. In Sharna Jackson’s suspense whodunit High–Rise Mystery a marvellous young detective duo investigate a murder case, whilst in The Middler by Kirsty Applebaum, an unexpected meeting with an outsider causes Maggie to question what really lies behind the strict rules of her town. Exploring thoughts and feelings is at the heart of the final two novels on the shortlist. Sam Copeland’s hero in the delightful Charlie Changes Into a Chicken develops an inconvenient superpower and realises that what he really needs is the help of his best friends, whereas The Deepest Breath by Meg Grehan is a powerful yet tender verse-novel about Stevie who is confused about her feelings for another girl but, with the help of a librarian, builds up her courage to share the truth with her mum.

The Older Readers’ shortlist explores topics of inner strength and identity. Liz Hyder’s original and darkly atmospheric novel Bearmouth tells the story of Newt who has worked in the mines from a young age, simply accepting things as they are, until a new worker arrives and causes Newt to question everything. In Samira Ahmed’s chilling near-future dystopia Internment, Layla refuses to accept injustice and discovers her courage and the power of friendship, whilst I Will Not Be Erased is a thought-provoking and illuminating collection of essays by gal-dem writers about growing up as people of colour.  Jemima Small Versus the Universe by Tamsin Winter tells the young heroine’s journey of self-discovery and how she learns to be happy with who she is, whereas Emma Smith-Barton’s The Million Pieces of Neena Gill is a powerful and relatable story about a girl’s struggle with mental health. Concluding the shortlist is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, a page-turning mystery novel in which one girl does not believe what everyone else takes for the truth.

The winners will be announced at an evening reception at Waterstones Piccadilly (London), Europe’s largest bookshop, on Thursday 26^th March 2020. The winner of each category will receive £2000, with the Overall Winner receiving an extra £3000. In the event that the Prize is awarded to a partnership, then the Prize money will be split equally between the joint winners.

The winning authors and illustrators will also see a significant boost in sales, and the promise of an ongoing commitment to their writing career from all Waterstones shops nationwide.

The full list of shortlisted titles (in alphabetical order by author) for the 2020 Prize are:

Illustrated Books:

Once Upon a Unicorn Horn by Beatrice Blue (Frances Lincoln)

Look Up! by Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola (illus) (Puffin)

Otto Blotter, Bird Spotter by Graham Carter (Andersen Press)

One Fox by Kate Read (Two Hoots)

Me and My Sister by Rose Robbins (Scallywag Press)

Hidden Planet: An Illustrator's Love Letter to Planet Earth by Ben Rothery (Ladybird)

Books for Younger Readers:

The Middler by Kirsty Applebaum (Nosy Crow)

Asha & the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan (Chicken House)

Charlie Changes Into a Chicken by Sam Copeland (Puffin)

The Deepest Breath by Meg Grehan (Little Island)

High-Rise Mystery by Sharna Jackson (Knights Of)

Our Castle by the Sea by Lucy Strange (Chicken House)

Books for Older Readers:

Internment by Samira Ahmed (Atom)

I Will Not Be Erased by gal-dem (Walker Books)

Bearmouth by Liz Hyder (Pushkin Children's Books)

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (Electric Monkey)

The Million Pieces of Neena Gill by Emma Smith-Barton (Puffin)

Jemima Small Versus the Universe by Tamsin Winter (Usborne Publishing)

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - End of the Year Awards 2018 - A Year In Children's Books

It's time to reflect on another blogging/reading year as we draw closer towards 2019. Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books would like to thank all of the publishers, authors, illustrators and anyone one else who has kindly sent books for me to read this year. Every book is much appreciated and isn't taken for granted.  I will be posting my favourite reads of 2018 in the next post or so.  

I would like to present the following awards to:

* David Fickling Books as 'Children's Publisher of the Year 2018'. I have loved every book that I have read this year. Yet again, the care and detail that has gone into each book have been remarkable; every book has thoroughly deserved the space on the bookshelf. I am looking forward to next year and new delights to read. 

* 'Small Publisher' of the year goes to Floris Books (Scotland) and Firefly Press (Wales). Both of which are fantastic publishers. They have a great eye for engaging stories all of which I have enjoyed and loved immensely.  

* Chris Riddell and Marcus Alexander for their roles in promoting and encouraging children to read for pleasure and for inspiring others. 

* Favourite illustrator of the year is Karl James Mountford for outstanding work this year and for letting me use his illustration for my blog header, it looks AMAZING!

*Mr Ripley's Enchanted Book Cover Wars Winner 2018/19 was Vashti Hardy - 'Brightstorm: A Sky-Ship Adventure' - Book Cover illustrated by George Ermos - Published by Scholastic Books UK

*Favourite Graphic Novel - Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter by Marcus Sedgwick & Thomas Taylor - Published by First Second.

* 'Favourite Picture Book' - Shaun Tan - Tales from the Inner City (Walker Studio). Every page is a delight and an inspiration to see and read. 

Finally, Mr Ripley's Children's Favourite blog goes to ReaditDaddy. This is a fantastic blog - it is always a great place to find out more about children's books. 

Thank you most of all to the readers of Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books; without you, there would be no blog. Have a great festive period all of you and enjoy the New Year. 

Wordery 12 Books Of Christmas - What Books Have YOU Bought for Christmas 2018?

12 Books Of Christmas:

New research reveals the 12 books you’re most likely to get under your tree

Wordery unveil the nations best-selling books in the run-up to Christmas

• Michelle Obama’s page-turning Memoir ‘Becoming’ is the number one bestseller according to Wordery sales data
• Family favourite ‘The Snowman’ comes in second as it returns for its 4oth anniversary gift edition
• Two Christmas themed books made the cut with ‘The Snowman’ and ‘We’re Going on an Elf Chase’ both featuring in the list
• ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ by Heather Morris comes in third place, a harrowing tale during the time of the Holocaust and a good read for bookworms.

13th December 2018: Findings released today from Wordery reveal the top 12 bestselling books over the past month. Based on  sales data from the previous month we can reveal the books that are most likely to end up under your Christmas tree.

With nearly 63 million books typically sold in the run-up to Christmas in the UK, which is a third of the market’s annual volume, it comes as no shock that new titles such as ‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama are in the race to secure the number one slot in the festive book charts.

With the big day nearing closer, Wordery reveal which 12 best selling books could be under your Christmas tree this year. View the full graphic here.

Wordery’s top 12 selling books:

Rank	Title	Author
1	Becoming	Michelle Obama
2	The Snowman: 40th Anniversary Gift	Raymond Briggs
3	The Tattooist of Auschwitz	Heather Morris
4	Fire and Blood: 300 years Before a Game of Thrones	George R. R. Martin
5	Milkman	Anna Burns
6	We’re Going on an Elf Chase	Martha Mumford and Laura Hughes
7	My Name Doddie	Doddie Weir and Stuart Weir
8	I Adulted!	Robb Pearlman
9	Golf Rules Quick Referencing	Yves C. Ton-That
10	Dynasties	Stephen Moss
11	Thomas Kinkade: the Disney Dreams Collection 2019 Diary	Thomas Kinkade
12	The Truth Pixie	Matt Haig and Chris Mould

The number one seller ‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States is a memoir which was published in November 2018. It details her upbringing in Chicago, motherhood, and her time in the White House alongside lighthearted personal and public moments.

It’s not really Christmas without ‘The Snowman’ taking the silver baton, as this 40th anniversary gift edition comes with a letter from the author Raymond Briggs and also a limited edition illustrative print. This is one for everyone as it’s a true Christmas tradition for generations of children.

The book coming in third is ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ by Heather Morris, which tells the story of a Slovakian Jewish man who is captured and put to work as a tattooist marking his fellow prisoners. It’s a harrowing tale during the time of the Holocaust and a good read for those bookworms out there.

Barry Magennis, spokesperson for Wordery, comments

“The outcome provides a diverse insight into what people in the UK are buying in the run up to Christmas. It’s great to see with no surprise two festive books making the cut with the classic literary ‘The Snowman’ being our second best seller. Wordery are looking forward to seeing which books do end up as Christmas gifts this year.”

For more information on the best selling books for Christmas, visit Wordery

Most Powerful Quotes From Literature Infographic - 50 Book Quotes

Take a note out of these authors’ books and discover this collection of fifty of the most powerful quotes from literature. This collection of quotes provides a glimpse into some of the most tragic, romantic, heart-wrenching and inspirational stories ever told on paper. These quotes are still being referenced today in film, television and theatre adaptations as well. These famous literary quotes have been placed into a fun and eye-catching infographic. 

Provided and designed by Essay Writing Service UK please check out the website for more details.

Please include attribution to  with this graphic.

Plan Your Own Arthur Ransome Swallows & Amazons Litreature Adventure in the Lake District Cumbria

Both children and adults alike have been enraptured with Arthur Ransome’s classic tale of adventure and friendship, Swallows & Amazons, since its release all the way back in 1930.

With a thrilling narrative that combines treasure hunting, swashbuckling and the carefree exploits of childhood – the story has undoubtedly stood the test of time, even receiving a film adaptation as recently as 2016.

One of the main draws of his writing are the vividly beautiful environments he describes. The best part about this? You can visit them!

Check out our infographic to find out how you can cast off into your very own Swallows & Amazons adventure.

Thank you, Francesca and Craig Manor Hotel for this Infographic.  

Check out the website: https://www.craigmanor.co.uk

Swallows & Amazons by Craig Manor.

This is How we Read in the UK (Parcel Hero Infographic)

 ParcelHero have created an interesting infographic in the run up to the Man Booker Prize on the UK's reading habits.

The infographic looks at everything from the most well-read regions of the UK to a head-to-head comparison between eBooks and hardbacks. We thought this would be something that you would be interested in reading, children's books have overall done really well in 2014, but are they still lacking the coverage they so deserve...

Take a look and see what you think?

+++++The Next Three Books On The Reading Pile +++++

Sam Wilding - Return to Denthan - Published by Olida publishing 2 April 2010
Another year on, the missing Harrison children return with Mendel, the wizard goldfish. James Peck is yet again at the helm when the people of Drumfintley are thrown into their most dangerous adventure yet. Mendel’s plan is to rescue Cathy Peck, but much more besides… His aim is to bring back a world already destroyed by an exploding sun. They are pitched against Dendralon and a host of new creatures in an amazing array of battles that test the resolve and ingenuity of the Scottish villagers and Mendel alike.

Will James reunite his family at last? Will Mendel manage to save the planet, destroyed two years before? Will they all return to Denthan, Drumfintley and normality? What sacrifices must be made?  - (Children's Fiction / Fantasy / Young Adult)

 P J Davidson - Professor P and the Jurassic Island -  Published by positive books - 1 May 2010

Peter and Tara are in for a surprise when an unexpected egg mysteriously arrives. Only Professor P can solve the mystery of the strange egg and save the day!

Professor P and the Jurassic Island is a fantastic adventure to the Jurassic world of the dinosaurs.

Includes a fun filled guide to the top ten Jurassic dinosaurs.

Caroline Stevermer - Magic Below Stairs - Published by Dial books - 10 June 2010 - U.S  - book release
Young Frederick is plucked from an orphanage to be a footboy for a wizard named Lord Schofield in Victorian England. Is his uncanny ability to tie perfect knots and render boots spotless a sign of his own magical talent, or the work of Billy Bly, the brownie who has been secretly watching over him since he was little? No matter, for the wizard has banished all magical creatures from his holdings. But Billy Bly isn’t going anywhere, and when he discovers a curse upon the manor house, it’s up to Frederick and Billy Bly to keep the lord’s new baby safe and rid the Schofield family of the curse forever.