Beyond the Page: Building Nature-Based Empathy Through Children’s Fiction

Abstract

Eight-year-old Hanna didn’t set out to become a hero. In fact, most people thought she was just plain naughty. But the day she spotted a helpless baby bird on the pavement—feathers askew, chirping wildly—something shifted. She didn’t hesitate. She scooped it up, named it Diana, and declared herself its protector. Suddenly, her chaotic energy had a purpose: caring for something smaller than herself