It has never been more important to be kind to others than right now. Between politics, bullying, social media, it is easy to get swept up in negativity! Pat Zietlow Miller’s “BE KIND” features a wonderful and inquisitive main character, who actively questions what it looks like to “be kind”.
When a classmate accidentally spills grape juice on her dress, the rest of the class laughs at her expense. After an initial attempt at supporting his/her classmate is misunderstood, the young student goes through examples and observations and analyzes ways that kindness is or isn’t effective. The conclusions of these observations are entirely child-friendly yet offer questions that can be further discussed on how exactly kindness impacts others’ lives around you.
Jen Hill, the illustrator, provides brilliantly drawn details throughout the book, offering up beautiful and meaningful visuals to accompany Miller’s story. There is a profound curiosity of what exactly the needs of each classmate are, rather than the main character’s own desire to be kind.
We give Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill’s “BE KIND” five feathers for KINDNESS! It truly dives into the true meaning of kindness, provides prompts to discuss the content further, and is a feel-good story that children of all ages and genders will appreciate and love.