It has been reported that kids who read fiction tend to have more empathy. It’s not to say those who read non-fiction are unkind, they just don’t have the advanced view of the world that the fiction reader has. Literature is a higher level of fiction. These are the books that are very well written and will become a part of the classic cannon. The stories told through literature are one of a kind, and they introduce the reader to every possible culture, class, idea and situation possible. More than any other form of writing, literature gives children a better sense of empathy.
As kids who engage in this kind of reading grow up, they will likely be very anxious to explore the world beyond their own upbringing. They will embrace travel and making foreign friends. They will have a compassionate view of those less fortunate, and many will end up in socially conscious jobs. Literature is not always put at the top of the education agenda, but it should be because these readers are the ones who will become great ambassadors to the world.
Starting early with powerful stories, like “The Velveteen Rabbit,” and moving into great literature, like “The Once and Future King,” and on into the emotionally complex stories of Charles Dickens, young readers will come to crave the rich worlds that the great writers offer. As they move into college, they will begin to understand the political and social themes of the great literary masters. It is this epiphany that turns the literature reader into a social activist with an absolute need to make a difference in the world.
If your child prefers literature, be proud now because one day, he or she will take that well developed since of the world and make a real difference for future generations. Ask a reader like this who his hero is, and it will be a character from a major literary work.