Finding Kindness

by Deborah Underwood (Author) Irene Chan (Illustrator)

Finding Kindness
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

From New York Times-bestselling author Deborah Underwood comes Finding Kindness, a heartfelt picture book illustrated by Irene Chan.

Celebrate kindness in all its many forms. This is a powerful story of community, compassion, and generosity of spirit--perfect for sharing!

Kindness is sometimes a cup and a card, or a ladder, a truck, and a tree. A scritch and a cuddle. A rake and a yard.

Select format:
Hardcover
$19.99

Publishers Weekly

Friends, neighbors, and family members in a variously diverse neighborhood are seen engaging in quiet acts of kindness. A child appears at her window, releasing a ladybug using the cup-and-card trick: "Kindness is sometimes/ a cup and a card." On the next page, a firefighter rescues a cat from a tree: "or a ladder, / a truck, / and a tree." A boy rakes leaves for an elderly woman, and his kindness is repaid with a cookie. Elsewhere, a woman is seen giving up her train seat to another passenger with a baby; a child leaves a tip for a bear performing on a unicycle; and two children plant trees in a park: "It's dirt and a shovel, / petunias and pails, / it's trees that will someday give shade." Chan illustrates in a loose style that captures a feeling of warmth, community, and goodwill. One act of kindness begets another, Underwood gently conveys, including acts of self-care and forgiveness. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

PreS-K--Kindness can be shown in many ways, as demonstrated in this charming picture book. A girl uses a card and a cup to release a ladybug out of her apartment window. As she looks out, she witnesses community helpers and neighbors engaging in different acts of kindness ranging from small gestures, such as offering a seat on the train or holding a door, to more extensive volunteer work, such as helping build a house for someone or planting trees and plants at a community park. The book eventually circles back to the girl from the beginning, and readers learn the card was given to her by her sister, who she thanks with a kiss. Underwood's rhymes are short and sweet with a natural rhythm. The examples offer simple ways in which children and adults can be generous and compassionate toward others. Chan's illustrations are featured on expansive spreads, with bright, bold colors that pop. Depicted is a tight-knit community with members of varying races, ages, ethnicities, and genders. VERDICT With its positive message, simple rhymes, and eye-catching art, this is a wonderful choice for a kindness-themed storytime.--Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Deborah Underwood
Deborah Underwood's Outside In was a Caldecott Honor book. She is the New York Times bestselling author of Here Comes the Easter Cat, The Quiet Book, Every Little Letter, and The Panda Problem. Deborah lives in Northern California with her feline muse, Bella.

Sam Wedelich is an author, illustrator, and cartoonist living with her family in upstate NY. She is the creator of Chicken Little: The Real and Totally True Tale and Chicken Little and the Big Bad Wolf. Sam enjoys gardening, cycling, and making music when she's not hunched over her art table to make something funny or beautiful.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781250237897
Lexile Measure
420
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Henry Holt & Company
Publication date
October 29, 2019
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
JUV039220 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Values & Virtues
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Stories in rhyme
Conduct of life
Community life
Kindness

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