Connecting couldn’t be more important than during the middle grade years when kids are deciding who they want to be; when they are discovering themselves as a unique person. A great book can be an important impetus in that formulation. Three authors of literature for children and young adults and two classroom teachers have come together to share ideas and strategies professionals can use with students to build resilience and empathy through the use of children’s literature. Attendees will leave this session with a stronger understanding of what conditions create and foster resilience and how stories can contribute to this development. They will learn a variety of ideas and strategies that can be implemented into the classroom, school or community to help children recognize and build resilience and empathy.