ISBN: 9780399246524
A short lesson in kindness goes a long way! Today in our Book Club Hour at Thorntree Prep, we read the picture book Each Kindness by American author Jacqueline Woodson, and discussed how we can show kindness to ourselves and to others, and even to our immediate environment.
The brief session started with a practical activity, where the children each took a pebble and dropped it in a bowl of water to see the ripples it made. But before dropping the pebble, each had to first mention an act of kindness they had done today. Some were worried, because they haven’t done anything kind yet, but then mentioned something they had done yesterday. The point of the activity was to demonstrate that each little thing we do goes out, like a ripple into the world, moving further and further away from the centre, getting bigger and bigger, touching more and more people. That is why we have to “choose kind” whenever it is in our power to do so. Some of the kids initially missed the point and asked what it means if there were no ripples when they dropped the pebble, and others wanted to go drop a second pebble so they could literally see their ripples (again), but after another explanation that it was only symbolic for our deeds, they were put at ease.
“Small acts of kindness can indeed change feelings and attitudes of others the whole world ‘round!”
When Maya enters her new school, her classmates are not very welcoming. Chloe recalls how she moved her chair, herself and her books away from Maya, looked away each time her eyes caught Maya’s and didn’t smile back.
Maya is excluded in all activities, and every time she approaches the other kids to make friends, they turn away and leave her to play her games all by herself.
The resistance turns to whispers and giggles about Maya’s strange (pre-owned) clothing and the food she brought to school.
Chloe’s teacher, Ms Albert, teaches the children that kindness is like ripples in water, “Each little thing we do goes out, like a ripple, into the world”. Chloe then has a change of heart, and promises herself that “this would be the day I smiled back”. But it was too late! Maya and her family moved away. Chloe feels intense remorse when she thinks about all the times she had the opportunity to say or do something nice to Maya, but realises that “the chance of a kindness with Maya became more and more forever gone”.
Do not withhold good if it is in your power to do so…!
Each Kindness has received multiple awards, including
- Coretta Scott King Honor Book
- 2013 Jane Addams Peace Award
- 2013 Charlotte Zolotow Award
- Best Book of 2012 – School Library Journal
The children absolutely loved the painted pictures that “looked so real”. There is a definite emotion conveyed in every double-page illustration by award winning American illustrator, EB Lewis that leaves the reader feeling compassion for Maya and remorse with Chloe.
One of the students turned out to know EB Lewis’ work! How wonderful!
This book is a definite must-have for any bookshelf!
Color Your World With Kindness from A Better World on Vimeo.
