#blogbookaday: Be Kind

Summary:  “A picture book about the power of kindness.

When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate contemplates how to make her feel better and what it means to be kind. From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving and thoughtful story explores what a child can do to be kind, and how each act, big or small, can make a difference–or at least help a friend.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Review: A girl spills her juice at lunch and the main character thinks of ways to make her feel better and goes through ways their mom taught them to be kind. In the end, drawing a pretty picture and sharing it with the girl is how the main character chooses to be kind. This is a wonderful story to use as a starting point for a conversation on how to stand up for kids getting picked on, how to be kind to kids at school or on the playground and how to be nice to the people in your community. I loved the simple ways the chose to highlight, making it very easy for any kid to “choose kind.”

Personal Reaction: I really liked that this story shared specific ways children can be kind to the people around them. I think that so many times adults will say, “Be nice.” or “Be kind.” or “Be friends with so and so.” But, kids aren’t given concrete examples of how to do that. This book solves that problem and I think would make a great read aloud for elementary school classrooms about what it means to be kind.

Title: Be Kind
Author: Pat Zietlow Miller
Illustrator: Jen Hill
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: February 6, 2018

This is a new idea I’m trying on my blog this year that was inspired by @donalynbooks and @heisereads – to provide a brief review of a picture book every day of 2018. You’ll get a brief summary of the story, a review of the content, illustrations and theme, my personal reaction to the book and all the pertinent publication information! Enjoy!