GLOVES OFF(YA)by Louisa Reid

Lily is bullied atschool. Home iscomfortable, butcan Lily bury her head in the sand forever and ignoreher problems likeher mum does?

One terrible eventforces a turning

point for Lily.

Encouraged by her Dad, Lily turns toboxing to fi ght back and to fi nd her ownworth.

This is an incredibly powerful Young Adult story, written in verse thatcertainly packs an emotional punch.

BOO

K of the WEEK

Mollie in Year 11 has been making maskadaptors and dona ng them to NHS staff toprevent the masks rubbing on the back of theirears. Mollie has currently made 50 of them.

Empathy Day - Read. Connect. Act.Tuesday 9th June was Empathy Day.

Reading stories can help build empathy, as we can try and resonate with how others must feel, and hopefully make for a be er world. Why not check out the a ached Em-pathy Lab’s 2020 Read for Empathy Guidefor books aimed at 11-16 year olds.

the

sw e yne pa r kTIMES

HEADLINESby Katharine Dines

ISSUE: 893

12th June 2020

In order to keep up levels of engagement, we are currently looking into the possibility of running some online lessons. We are inves ga ng the best and most eff ec ve way to deliver such lessons, and I will write further about this in the coming few weeks.

P ’ G C S CPlease look on our website for a link to the Parents’ Guide to Coping with School Closures. It is a free guide dedicated to covering how you, as parents, can make the me of school closures as useful as possible for your family. I do hope that you will fi nd the informa on useful.

Y 10 – P RI am delighted to confi rm that we will be welcoming back our Year 10 pupils next week, on a phased return. Pupils will be in school for 2 hours each week (9.30 am – 11.30 am), to study Maths, English and Science, on a three-week cycle. Each pupil will in a bubble of no more than 7 pupils, and will always be based in the same classroom, at the same desk.

We have been working hard to ensure that our school is fully compliant with all social distancing guidelines, and there will be a number of hand sanita on sta ons around the school site and in each of the classrooms we are using, which we have deliberately spaced across the school site to avoid groups of pupils congrega ng in one place. It will be fantas c to have some of our pupils back in school, and we are all really looking forward to seeing them a er such a long period of me.

O - We have been very proud of how well our pupils have engaged in all of the Home Learning that has been set for them on SMHW by their teachers. We have had some excellent pieces of work, a few of which have been shared in recent edi ons of the Sweyne Park Times.

More wonderful pupils’ work ...

There’s more to see inside...

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More wondeproduce

stay homestay homestay home pup

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2020 Read For Empathy GuideBooks to build empathy – for young people aged 11—16

#ReadForEmpathy

How does empathy work?

Graphic and verse novels Novels Top tipsPoetry

Official book supplier

Read stories. Build empathy. Make a better world.

Read stories. Build empathy. Make a better world.

Empathy is our ability to understand and share someone else’s feelings. It is an essential life skill, crucial if our young people and communities are to thrive.

We’re not born with a fixed quantity of empathy – it’s a skill we can learn. Excitingly, research shows that books are a powerful tool to develop it, because in identifying with book characters, young people learn to see things from other points of view. As they read, they are building their empathy skills.

This Guide is for people living and working with young people aged 11–16. You’ll find seventeen fantastic empathy-boosting books – chosen by an expert panel – to help young people gain insights into other people’s feelings, perspectives and ways of life. Please use them to inspire young people to turn feelings of empathy into action – in their homes, schools and communities.

This Guide is brought to you by EmpathyLab, in partnership with specialist children’s book supplier Peters. We also have a Guide with books for 4–11 year olds. You can use these all year round, and they will be especially useful in the run-up to Empathy Day on 9 June 2020. Please join in! Register for updates at www.empathylab.uk and follow @EmpathyLabUK.

The 2020 Read for Empathy collection

How does empathy work?

ActingWhere we are inspired to help others, having experienced what they’re feeling

FeelingWhere we resonate with other people’s emotions

ThinkingWhere we use reason and

imagination to work out how someone else feels

Empathy is made up of three main elements.

Graphic and verse novels, poetry and novels Seventeen powerful books, including graphic novels, verse novels and poetry. All chosen to help young people aged 11–16 develop real-life empathy. We have used this symbol* to highlight those that are more emotionally challenging, or have language or themes more suitable for older teens.

Somebody Give This Heart a Pen* Sophia Thakur Moving, mature poetry collection. The poems are angry, tender, and sometimes heart-breaking. They trigger reflections on our place in the world and our responsibilities to ourselves and others.

Walker Books

Furious Thing* Jenny Downham A daughter is nearly destroyed by her father’s emotional abuse, but she finds the strength to challenge him, and saves herself and her mother. Powerfully builds insight into the experience of survival, and recovery.

David Fickling Books

Keep an eye on

www.empathylab.uk for extra

resources

Toffee*Sarah Crossan Marla has dementia and Allison has run away from home. Brought together by chance, they find solace in each other. A superb verse novel raising important questions about how we care for each other in our communities.

Bloomsbury YA

Can You See Me? Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott We love this unusual book written by an 11-year-old girl and an experienced author. It offers a truly authentic opportunity to experience life for a girl with autism trying to navigate a neurotypical world.

Scholastic

‘Reading is such a wonderful way to bring people together in a world that increasingly seeks to build walls and barriers between us’ Malorie Blackman

POETRY

Graphic and verse novels, poetry and novels Long Way Down*Jason Reynolds Illustrator Chris Priestley We follow Will’s story as he sets out to avenge his brother’s murder. Ghostly figures conjure up memories and reveal perspectives that help us understand his lack of hope, and the choice he has to make. A stunning verse novel, taking place over the course of an elevator ride.

Faber & Faber

Heartstopper: Volume 1* Alice Oseman A graphic novel which sensitively captures the awkwardness of first love against a backdrop of homophobic bullying. Readers can really empathise with the two boys simply trying to be true to themselves.

Hodder Children’s Books

The Boy Who Steals Houses* C. G. Drews A raw and painful read about two vulnerable brothers who feel utterly rejected by society. We’re gladdened by the empathy of strangers who find a way to give the boys the security they need.

Orchard Books

The Black Flamingo* Dean Atta A glorious, life-affirming book exploring the life of a bi-racial gay teenager determined to be himself. Michael’s inevitable wobbles make his character feel vibrantly real, and we rejoice in the support he has from his family and friends.

Hodder Children’s Books

‘Empathy is a tool for building people into groups, for allowing us to function as more than self-obsessed individuals’ Neil Gaiman

Graphic and verse novels, poetry and novels New Kid Jerry Craft Jordan is one of the very few black students at his new posh school, and he could hardly feel more out of place. A superbly crafted, hard-hitting graphic novel with an empathetic take on issues of race, privilege and changing schools.

HarperCollins

Kick the Moon* Muhammad Khan Illustrator Amrit Birdi Ilyas is 13, trying to understand what it means to grow up as a Muslim boy in a tough community. His world is defined by gangs, intimidation and misogyny. Cleverly written so that we share his feelings and the values that give him the courage to make a stand.

Macmillan Children’s Books

DeadEndia: The Watcher’s Test* Hamish Steele A graphic novel for all sci-fi fans with a sense of humour, set in a weird theme park where a group of ordinary teenagers fight monsters from other worlds. Funny, quirky, dark and delightful, the story encourages young people to fight for what they believe in and to care for others – no matter who or what they are.

Nobrow

The Deepest BreathMeg Grehan 11-year-old Stevie is deeply confused by the emotions she feels towards a girl in her class. We feel great empathy for her anxiety and cheer on the sensitive librarian who listens and understands. A short, magnificently written verse story for young teenagers.

Little Island Books

‘Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world’ Barack Obama

Keep an eye on

www.empathylab.uk for extra

resources

Graphic and verse novels, poetry and novels A Story About Cancer (with a Happy Ending)India Desjardins Illustrator Marianne Ferrer Translator Solange Ouellet Cancer seen from the perspective of a 15-year-old who longs for people to see beyond the illness to who she really is. Wonderful illustrations enhance the text and it ends on a reassuringly positive note.

Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Frankly in Love David Yoon A refreshingly honest look at prejudice and stigma and the divisive nature of in-groups and out-groups (in this case different ethnicities) woven into a sensitively handled love story.

Penguin Books

The Unexpected Find Toby Ibbotson William, a boy with autism, and Judy, whose father has disappeared, find themselves on a quest. In many ways a traditional adventure story, this has real warmth as this troubled pair find healing through love and kindness.

Scholastic

A Country to Call Home* Lucy Popescu (ed.) Illustrator Chris Riddell Powerful insights into the lives of refugees and asylum seekers compelled to leave home, and their fearful feelings about an uncertain future. A high-quality anthology with poetry and prose by some renowned writers, including Michael Morpurgo, Patrice Lawrence, Simon Armitage, and Kit de Waal.

Unbound

Jemima Small Versus the Universe Tamsin Winter Many readers will empathise with Jemima, whose fragile self-esteem is knocked by casually cruel remarks about her size. We cheer her on as she refuses to be defined in this way.

Usborne

Empathy in action Research shows that empathy plays a big role in our desire to make the world a better place. Seek out books with themes that inspire young people to become empathy activists.

Talk about characters Instead of discussing what might happen next, focus on the characters – what are they afraid of? What might they do next? Which was most interesting? This builds understanding of how other people are.

Share diverse books Challenge young people to read a book that jolts them into understanding lives very different from their own, such as stories set in other countries or with characters of different races, religions and experiences.

Listen well Try to listen deeply, with 100% attention, as young people talk about their experience of a book.

Build human connections Sharing stories connects us to each other in new ways. Read the books yourself as a springboard for deep conversations to help you better understand a young person.

Five top tips

EMPATHY DAY 9 JUNE 2020 – GET INVOLVED!

Go to www.empathylab.uk @EmpathyLabUK to find out more, and be sure to share your #ReadForEmpathy recommendations on the day!

READ CONNECT ACT

Find and start an empathy-boosting book

Practice listening 100%, especially to someone you don’t know well. Use our Empathy Switch exercise

Put empathy into action. Make an Empathy Resolution – special cards available in March

For great ideas, use #ReadforEmpathy and our Guides www.empathylab.uk/read-for-empathy-guide

Link up - share your favourite empathy reads using #ReadForEmpathy

Teachers, librarians, community leaders: be empathy evangelists! Use our training and Empathy Day toolkits

Check out your local library’s empathy books and activities

Watch The Empathy Conversation with Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell. Happening 9 June

Talk to everyone about the importance of empathy. Sign up for updates at www.empathylab.uk

Picture books work for all age groups, and have an important empathy-building role. We’ve paired four books from this collection with picture books exploring similar themes. You can find more in our Read for Empathy Guide for children aged 4–11.

Using picture books creatively

Identity Refugees

Coping with dementia

How others see you

How to order the books in this Guide To buy the Read For Empathy book collection, please contact your local independent bookshop or Peters, and explore how you can develop empathy through the power of books. Primary schools buying the collection also receive a free EmpathyLab resource containing four assembly outlines.

• Independent booksellers: find your local shop here www.booksellers.org.uk/bookshopsearch to see if they are involved in Empathy Day

• Peters: Visit www.peters.co.uk/empathy2020. If you have any queries do not hesitate to contact Peters on 0121 666 6646 or email empathy@peters.co.uk

Thank you to everyone who has helped with this Guide• Selection Panel: Jon Biddle, Farrah Serroukh, Paul Harris, Sonia Thompson, Richard Charlesworth, Nicolette Jones, Christophere Fila, Dawn Woods, Sarah Smith, Jonathan Greenbank, Sarah Mears • Our partners at Peters and the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education • Publicity: Fritha Lindqvist • Leaflet editing: Talya Baker • Read For Empathy illustrator on this page: Rob Biddulph • Print: Penguin Random House Official book supplier

Read stories. Build empathy. Make a better world.

EmpathyLab offers training, and Empathy Day toolkits for schools, libraries and early years providers. These help you build young people’s empathy, literacy and social activism.

To find out more, go to www.empathylab.uk For training enquiries contact miranda@empathylab.uk

Empathy is a beacon of hope. Join our 2020 programme