Our son is as a wonderful mixture of characteristics - he is brave, he is thoughtful, he is gentle, he has lots of empathy, he is silly, and he has a very sensitive heart.
Even as a young toddler, when we were reading his Bible together, and we were reading the Easter story, he would always kiss Jesus' boo-boos.
I love that culture is portraying a sensitive heart as a strength more and more - especially in boys. Having empathy and caring for others IS a strength! It's what makes a superhero a real superhero, and not just a person in a cape.
So, here are some of my top books to read for your boy who happens to have a sensitive heart.
You can't go wrong with any of the Snipp, Snapp and Snurr books. They are a set of triplets from Sweden. In this particular one, they work very hard to earn a pair of lovely red shoes for their mother. In another, they save up enough to buy a brand new sled - only to then see a young boy outside the store who cannot afford one, but would like a sled more than anything... These stories help teach generosity and hard work.
My mom got our son this book, and I love it! It has lots of inspirational and solid advice for young boys; things like, "feeling cloudy? It's okay to let the rain fall.", "when you're alone with your thoughts, you are never alone", "be kind", "yes means yes, anything else means no" and "play your favorite sport - and be a good sport, while you're at it." It's a great one to pull out to help your kiddo if they're having a difficult time working through something.
I am a sucker for Eric Carle illustrations! I love this story, as it has a face value lesson to teach, as well as a deeper one. I love that it encourages kids to take action when they see something wrong, even if they are young. I love that the actions of one boy saved his whole country. What bravery!
4. The Circle Maker for Kids by Mark Patterson
This is a great, and very timely story to read with any kid, but especially a young boy with a tender heart. It is about a drought Israel, and a man, the circle maker draws a circle in the sand, kneels in it, and begins praying for rain. Our son loved it so much that he started drawing circles to pray in. It is great to instill a desire for a prayer life in kids, especially at a young age!
5. Across the Alley by Richard Michelson
This is a more serious story, but one that is important for kids to hear. It is about a young African American boy, and a young Jewish boy whose windows open to each other. They form a friendship, play baseball, and the violin... but will they be able to be friends outside of their ally?
6. The Boy and the Ocean by Max Lucado
I don't know what I love better about this book - the beautiful way it describes God's love, or the vast and dream-like illustrations. Boys with sensitive hearts will be comforted by the love expressed through the pages, and will find their imaginations wandering. I love this book so much, that I have it on a shelf in our son's room.
5. Across the Alley by Richard Michelson
6. The Boy and the Ocean by Max Lucado
Those are my top 6, but there are so so many more.
Please drop your favorite in the comments below!
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