Today I'm grateful because I just spent six engaging hours over the last two days with the school counselors in South Carolina. Virtually, of course, so there's that, but what a blessing. Here are the adapted lyrics to You Are My Sunshine that I wrote to sing for them while strumming my ukulele:
in the hands {and the hearts} of our publisher and Focus Group.
Look at our sweet, young narrator, Harmony.
We can't wait to share our story with the world. And you, dear friend.
Until then, here's today's PPBF pick.
Title: A Small Kindness
Author: Stacy McAnulty
Illustrator: Wendy Leach
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Birth Date: February 2, 2021
Suitable for: preK-3rd grade
Themes: empathy, compassion, kindness
Brief synopsis: Kindness is as simple as a game of tag: Once someone is touched by it, they look for the next someone to be it, and so on and so on, until everybody wins.
Opening page: It was like a game of tag.
Resources: Read a Kirkus Review {here}.
Check out 3 Simple, Small Acts of Kindness {here}
Find 30 Small Acts Of Kindness You Can Do Every Day {here}
Why I like this book: What's not to love? We all know that kindness is contagious, but add to that message the perfect timing of its release during a pandemic and you've got the perfect playbook for a game of Kindness Tag that shows the power of a kind touch to colorize our world. In each of Wendy Leach's stunning illustrations, the monochromatic drawings come to life after they are touched by kindness, whereby becoming it in this non-competitive version of an age-old game of Tag. Once you're it, you simply need to see a need and fill a need, completing a kindness in order to tag the next person so that they catch the kindness. Get it?
Compare and contrast the book with these other titles with
an empathy, compassion, and kindness theme:
Use it as a springboard to launch into this year's
Kids For Peace Great Kindness Challenge!
I love this year's theme: Kindness Unites.
Yes, it does. It's a powerful antidote for what ails us.
And it starts with the glorious virtue of empathy.
Empathy = Mindset (Cognitive)
Compassion = Heartset (Affective)
Kindness = Skillset (Behavioral)
Need a beautiful video clip to accompany your read-aloud?
He understand her pain.
He embraces her struggle.
He acts with kindness.
Head. Heart. Hands.
Just like in the book.
Tag. You're it.
Check out A Small Kindness, then head to Susanna's blog
for today's other amazing PPBF picks.
What a perfect video share to accompany such an amazing book about kindness. Brought tears to my eyes. I cheer for every book published. These are the books we want to read to children, starting at a young age. Excellent selection today! And, I'm glad you had a good time at your virtual conference!
ReplyDeleteBooks about kindness will never grow old. I love Stacy McAnulty's work, and am wondering if there's any humor included within these pages. Love the connection between the childhood game of tag and passing along kindness.
ReplyDelete