The Same Inside: Poems about Empathy and Friendship
on Goodreads (11)
What’s inside...
The Same Inside is a sweet and thoughtful collection of poems about friendship, empathy and respect by three of the nation's best-loved poets, Liz Brownlee, Matt Goodfellow and Roger Stevens. These fifty poems deal sensitively with feelings, empathy, respect, courtesy, bullying, disability, and acceptance, helping young readers to understand and appreciate different perspectives. It aims to nurture emotional intelligence and promote social harmony among young minds. This collection is perfect for sparking conversations about the values that bind us together.
Age
9-12
Length
96 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think the characters felt when they were helping each other?
Can you think of a time when someone showed you empathy? How did it make you feel?
Why is it important to understand how our friends are feeling?
What are some ways you can show kindness to your friends?
How do the poems in the book show that everyone is the same inside?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to reflect on their personal experiences related to the themes in the poems.
Ask follow-up questions based on your child's responses to encourage deeper thinking.
Relate lessons from the poems to real-life situations that your child might encounter to make the concepts more relatable.
Create a supportive and open environment where your child feels comfortable expressing their thoughts and feelings.
Reinforce the message of the book by sharing your own experiences with empathy and friendship.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Understanding empathy
Explanation: The poems in 'The Same Inside' explore scenarios where characters display empathy towards others, feeling and understanding their emotions.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to recognize emotions in their peers and respond thoughtfully in real-life interactions.
Example Lesson: Valuing friendship
Explanation: The book highlights the importance of friendship through poetic narratives, showing how friends support and uplift each other.
Real-World Application: Kids are encouraged to nurture friendships and appreciate the role of a friend in their lives, helping them build strong social connections.
Example Lesson: Respecting differences
Explanation: Several poems emphasize the acceptance and celebration of differences among people, promoting inclusivity.
Real-World Application: This teaches children to embrace diversity in their classrooms and communities, fostering a more inclusive environment.
Example Lesson: Expressing feelings
Explanation: The narrative encourages expressing emotions openly through various characters who share their feelings.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this by learning to communicate their own emotions clearly and respectfully with others.
Example Lesson: Problem-solving in relationships
Explanation: Poems depict characters resolving conflicts with understanding and compassion, providing a blueprint for healthy relationship dynamics.
Real-World Application: This helps children develop skills to address and resolve conflicts in their interactions, promoting harmony.