A selection of children's books that include themes of empathy. They sit on a light red background with a large red shape which features a star pattern inside it.

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Children's reading lists

17 books that demonstrate empathy

Despite the war, the 1940s was a bumper decade for publishing

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Reading lists

Books that shaped the 1940s

Charlotte's Web

70th Anniversary Edition

Celebrating 85 years of Sparking Imaginations 
 
A beautiful clothbound edition of the much-loved modern classic Charlotte's Web. Bound in real cloth with two coloured foils and sprayed coloured edges, this deluxe edition is a perfect gift or collector’s item. Part of an eight book set published to mark the 85th anniversary of Puffin Books. With a brand-new foreword from Jordan Lees. 
 
 
This is the story of a little girl named Fern who loved a little pig named Wilbur and of Wilbur's dear friend, Charlotte A. Cavatica, a beautiful large grey spider who lives with Wilbur in the barn. With the help of Templeton the rat, who never did anything for anybody unless there was something in it for him, and a wonderfully clever plan of her own. Charlotte saves the life of Wilbur, who by this time had grown up to be quite a pig. 
 
Published over seventy years ago, with original illustrations by Garth Williams, Charlotte's Web has become an all-time favourite children's story. 
 
Collect all eight titles in the Puffin Clothbound 85th Anniversary Collection 
 
THE STORY OF TRACY BEAKER by Jacqueline Wilson with a foreword by Beth Lincoln 
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by Jeff Kinney with a foreword by Dapo Adeola 
CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E.B. White with a foreword by Jordan Lees 
MATILDA by Roald Dahl with a foreword by Robin Stevens 
THE EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING LIFE OF LOTTIE BROOKS by Katie Kirby with a foreword by Nadia Shireen 
PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF by Rick Riordan with a foreword by Nazneen Ahmed Pathak 
PIG-HEART BOY by Malorie Blackman with a foreword by Adam Kay 
WONDER by R.J. Palacio with a foreword by Tom Fletcher 
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E. B. White (Author) 
E. B. White was born in New York in 1899 and died in 1985. He kept animals on his farm in Maine and some of these creatures crept into his books, such as STUART LITTLE which was recently made into a blockbusting film. He received many awards including the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal in 1970, an award given every five years to authors who have 'made a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children'. 
 
Garth Williams (Illustrator) 
Garth Williams was born in 1912 and became one of American's best-loved illustrators. 
His magical drawings have brought to life many memorable children's book characters, including Fern, Wilbur, and Charlotte in Charlotte's Web and the adventurous little mouse, Stuart Little. 
Garth Williams died in 1996, at the age of 84.

Celebrating 85 years of Sparking Imaginations 
 
A beautiful clothbound edition of the much-loved modern classic Charlotte's Web. Bound in real cloth with two coloured foils and sprayed coloured edges, this deluxe edition is a perfect gift or collector’s item. Part of an eight book set published to mark the 85th anniversary of Puffin Books. With a brand-new foreword from Jordan Lees. 
 
 
This is the story of a little girl named Fern who loved a little pig named Wilbur and of Wilbur's dear friend, Charlotte A. Cavatica, a beautiful large grey spider who lives with Wilbur in the barn. With the help of Templeton the rat, who never did anything for anybody unless there was something in it for him, and a wonderfully clever plan of her own. Charlotte saves the life of Wilbur, who by this time had grown up to be quite a pig. 
 
Published over seventy years ago, with original illustrations by Garth Williams, Charlotte's Web has become an all-time favourite children's story. 
 
Collect all eight titles in the Puffin Clothbound 85th Anniversary Collection 
 
THE STORY OF TRACY BEAKER by Jacqueline Wilson with a foreword by Beth Lincoln 
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by Jeff Kinney with a foreword by Dapo Adeola 
CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E.B. White with a foreword by Jordan Lees 
MATILDA by Roald Dahl with a foreword by Robin Stevens 
THE EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING LIFE OF LOTTIE BROOKS by Katie Kirby with a foreword by Nadia Shireen 
PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF by Rick Riordan with a foreword by Nazneen Ahmed Pathak 
PIG-HEART BOY by Malorie Blackman with a foreword by Adam Kay 
WONDER by R.J. Palacio with a foreword by Tom Fletcher

A beautiful hardback edition of Charlotte's Web by E. B. White. This lovely edition is part of the highly collectible Puffin 'cloth' Classics series - all the titles in the range have attractive 'cloth' textured covers with a stunning repeat pattern design specific to each story. Charlotte's Web makes a perfect addition to the collection which includes some of the best-loved Puffin titles of all time. 
 
Charlotte's Web is the unforgettable story of a girl called Fern who loves a little pig called Wilbur. It tells how Charlotte A. Cavatica, a beautiful grey spider, saves Wilbur from the usual fate of nice fat pigs, by a wonderfully clever plan - a plan so original that no one else could possibly have thought of it! 
 
This hardback edition makes a perfect gift and a must for every family bookshelf.

E. B. White was born in New York in 1899 and died in 1985. He kept animals on his farm in Maine and some of these creatures crept into his books, such as STUART LITTLE which was recently made into a blockbusting film. He received many awards including the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal in 1970, an award given every five years to authors who have 'made a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children'.

A beautiful hardback edition of Charlotte's Web by E. B. White. This lovely edition is part of the highly collectible Puffin Clothbound Classics series. 
 
The unforgettable story of a girl called Fern who loves a little pig called Wilbur. It tells how Charlotte A. Cavatica, a beautiful grey spider, saves Wilbur from the usual fate of nice fat pigs, by a wonderfully clever plan - a plan so original that no one else could possibly have thought of it!

Stuart Little

A series of children's modern classic novels by renowned 20th century children's writers. All the titles in this series have the A Puffin Book logo, contemporary-style covers, and child-friendly endnotes.

From the author of Charlotte's Web, a charming story of a bold, adventurous little mouse. 
 
Stuart Little is no ordinary mouse. Born to a family of humans he lives in New York City with his parents, his older brother George and Snowball the cat. Though he's shy and thoughtful, he's an adventurous and heroic little mouse. His daring escapades include racing a toy boat in a Central Park pond, retrieving his mother's ring from a drain, and crawling inside a piano to fix the keys for his brother. When his best friend, a beautiful little bird called Margalo disappears from her nest, Stuart is determined to track her down. He ventures away from home for the very first time in his life and finds himself embroiled in one exciting adventure after another, making new friends and meeting old ones along the way 
 
Also available in A Puffin Book: 
 
CHARLOTTE'S WEB, STUART LITTLE and THE TRUMPET OF THE SWAN by E. B. White 
 
E. B. White was born in New York in 1899 and died in 1985. He kept animals on his farm in Maine and some of these creatures crept into his books, such as STUART LITTLE which was made into a film in 2000 starring Hugh Lawrie. 
E. B. White received many awards including the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal in 1970, an award given every five years to authors who have 'made a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children'.

E. B. White was born in New York in 1899 and died in 1985. He kept animals on his farm in Maine and some of these creatures crept into his books, such as STUART LITTLE which was made into a blockbusting film in 2000. He received many awards including the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal in 1970, an award given every five years to authors who have 'made a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children'.

The enchanting tale of the mouse who is small in size but enormous in spirit. 
 
Stuart Little is no ordinary mouse. Born to a family of humans he lives in New York City with his parents, his older brother George and Snowball the cat. Though he's shy and thoughtful, he's an adventurous and heroic little mouse. His daring escapades include racing a toy boat in a Central Park pond, retrieving his mother's ring from a drain, and crawling inside a piano to fix the keys for his brother. When his best friend, a beautiful little bird called Margalo disappears from her nest, Stuart is determined to track her down. He ventures away from home for the very first time in his life and finds himself embroiled in one exciting adventure after another, making new friends and meeting old ones along the way.

The Trumpet of the Swan

THE TRUMPET OF THE SWAN is an uplifting story by E. B. White, author of CHARLOTTE'S WEB in which wildlife and nature blend with fantasy to make a tender, humorous and unforgettable animal tale. 
 
Unlike other cygnets, Louis, the trumpeter swan, cannot utter a sound. But with the encouragement of his father, Louis sets out to overcome his problem. One way of doing this Louis decides, is to learn to read and write and so he sets off to Montana to find his friend Sam Beaver. Louis goes to school with him and learns to read and write, but when he returns to the lakes and falls in love with the beautiful Serena, he is upset that Serena can't read his sign, which says 'I love you'. Once again his parents are determined to help him find a new way of expressing himself and it is his father who dreams up the brilliant solution that will put Louis firmly on the path to success and fulfilment. 
 
E. B. White was born in the USA. He travelled about trying all sorts of jobs before he joined the New Yorker magazine and became a writer. In 1970 he was awarded the prestigious Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal for Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web and in honour of his outstanding contribution to children's literature. E. B. White died in 1985. 
 
Also by E. B. White: 
Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little 
 
Also available in A Puffin Book: 
GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM and BACK HOME by Michelle Magorian 
CHARLOTTE'S WEB, STUART LITTLE and THE TRUMPET OF THE SWAN by E. B. White 
THE BORROWERS by Mary Norton 
STIG OF THE DUMP by Clive King 
ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY by Mildred D. Taylor 
A DOG SO SMALL by Philippa Pearce 
GOBBOLINO by Ursula Moray Williams 
MRS FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH by Richard C O'Brien 
A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeleine L'Engle 
THE CAY by Theodore Taylor 
TARKA THE OTTER by Henry Williamson 
WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams 
SMITH by Leon Garfield 
THE NEVERENDING STORY by Michael Ende 
ANNIE by Thomas Meehan 
THE FAMILY FROM ONE END STREET by Eve Garnett

We, and our children, are lucky to have this book

. . . the beautiful details, the sweetness of relationships - poignant without this time being sad - also make you know that this is the author of Charlotte's Web

Virginia Haviland (US author and librarian, 1911 - 1988)

E. B. White was born in the USA. He travelled about trying all sorts of jobs before he joined the New Yorker magazine and became a writer. In 1970 he was awarded the prestigious Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal for Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web and in honour of his outstanding contribution to children's literature. E. B. White died in 1985.

An uplifting story, which blends wildlife and nature with fantasy to make a tender, humorous and unforgettable animal tale. 
 
Unlike other cygnets, Louis, the trumpeter swan, cannot utter a sound. But with the encouragement of his father, Louis sets out to overcome his problem. One way of doing this Louis decides, is to learn to read and write and so he sets off to Montana to find his friend Sam Beaver. Louis goes to school with him and learns to read and write, but when he returns to the lakes and falls in love with the beautiful Serena, he is upset that Serena can't read his sign, which says 'I love you'. Once again his parents are determined to help him find a new way of expressing himself and it is his father who dreams up the brilliant solution that will put Louis firmly on the path to success and fulfilment.

E. B. White

Rediscover this classic, much-loved story by E. B. White, beautifully illustrated by Garth Williams and reissued as a gorgeous full-colour hardback. A perfect gift to read aloud and share with all the family.One spring morning a little girl called Fern rescues a runt and names him Wilbur. But then Wilbur is sent to live on a farm where he meets Charlotte, a very clever and very beautiful large grey spider. They become best friends and, when Wilbur is faced with a dreadful fate, Charlotte must find an ingenious way to save him. 
 
'No child should be without a copy' - Daily Mail

E. B. White

Praise for Charlotte's Web

'No child should be without a copy'

Books by E. B. White

Articles featuring E. B. White

17 books that demonstrate empathy

Books that shaped the 1940s

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