good deeds – Mom Read It

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads

Paying it forward: Cara’s Kindness

Posted on September 2, 2016August 3, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Cara’s Kindness, by Kristi Yamaguchi/Illustrated by John Lee (Oct. 2016, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky), $16.99, ISBN: 978-1492616863

Recommended for ages 3-8

Cara the Cat is practicing her ice skating routine and thinking of the perfect song for it when she notices Darby the Dog, who wants to skate, but is afraid to try. She helps Darby overcome his fear, telling him to “pass on the kindness”, setting off a chain of good deeds, with each friend helping someone else and telling them to “pass on the kindness”. The cycle of good deeds comes full circle when a friend creates a song especially for Cara’s performance. The story concentrates on the good feelings of paying it forward – doing a kindness for someone and asking others to do the same – and how karma works like a boomerang; it’s the old adage, “treat others as you would be treated”, brought to life with adorably drawn animal characters in situations that speak to young audiences.

Olympic medalist Kristi Yamaguchi has written children’s books before, featuring Little Pig (It’s a Big World, Little Pig! and Dream Big, Little Pig!), who inspired readers to follow their ambitions and dreams. Maybe Cara and Little Pig will meet up in a future story?

This is a good book to pair with other books on kindness, like Carol McCloud’s Have You Filled a Bucket Today? (“bucket filling” was huge when my tween was in elementary school), Philip Stead’s A Sick Day for Amos McGee, and the classic fable, The Lion and the Mouse. Encourage kids to pay it forward by doing something nice for someone of their choosing.

Uncategorized

It’s a Wonderful Death… Can you really get a do-over?

Posted on October 12, 2015October 11, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

It’s a Wonderful Death, by Sarah J. Schmitt (Oct. 2015, Sky Pony Press), $17.99, ISBN: 978-1-63450-173-6

Recommended for ages 12+

RJ is a classic mean girl. She runs with the “in” crowd, she’s stuck-up, and she’s spoiled rotten. But she learns pretty quickly that Death is the grand equalizer when a Grim Reaper accidentally collects her soul. Now, she’s in the Afterlife and she’s not happy. She’s raising a ruckus, but her existing track record isn’t doing her any favors. If she can get enough souls, angels, and Death Himself on her side, she may stand a second chance, but can she stop thinking about herself long enough to make the right choices?

Written in the first person from RJ’s point of view, It’s a Wonderful Death is nearly unputdownable. It’s loaded with snark and sarcasm that will leave you chuckling and snorting into your sleeve (I commute on public transportation, for heaven’s sake). I needed to know what RJ was going to say next, or what Death Himself was going to come up with. Both characters are hilarious and yet, get the message across. What you do in life will stay with you. Whatever you believe – a topic touched on in this book – there is a reckoning; what you may think is a minor moment in your life could mean someone else’s life. We also see, very clearly, that as much as bad karma snowballs, so does good karma.

This story operates on the hope that people are, for the most part, good – if you show them a chance to go on the right path, and they take it, chances are, they’ll keep finding ways to stay on that path. It’s a pretty upbeat message, for a book about a dead teenager.

It’s a Wonderful Death is a very moral story that would lend itself to some great book discussions. And why shouldn’t it? Author Sarah J. Schmitt is a youth librarian. If she can’t get a teen’s sarcasm down, who can? She gets to the heart of a lot of teen issues here, and for that reason, It’s a Wonderful Death is on my must-have list for my YA collection. .

Have a morality program without beating kids over the head with the concept by showing Death Note one week, then discuss this book the next. There are a lot of facets to be discussed.

Non-Fiction, Tween Reads

Change the World Before Bedtime – Proof that everyone can affect positive change!

Posted on July 20, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Change the World Before Bedtime, a collaboration by Mark Kimball Moulton, Josh Chalmers, and Karen Good (Schiffer Publishing, 2012). $16.99, ISBN: 978-0764342387

Recommended for ages 4-8

For all the kids out there tired of being told that they’re too young to affect change, Change the World Before Bedtime is a primer on everything anyone, big or small, can do to bring about positive change in their world. The book takes place over the course of a day, with a group of children making positive decisions and taking positive actions to brighten the world around them. By tying on their “hero capes” and eating a healthy breakfast, they prepare for a day of random good deeds, like picking up litter, visiting a sick friend or family member, donating clothing, toys, and food to the needy, and just thinking and saying happy thoughts and words.

The book features multicultural images and the artwork incorporates some great collage work. The images remind me of Joan Walsh Anglund’s illustrations that I loved, growing up. The rhyming text makes this a fun read-aloud, particularly to 5-6 year olds who may have a better grasp on activism. Positive messages, like “recycle” and “one beautiful world”, are emphasized throughout the book, as are images including composting, teamwork, manners, and environmental awareness. The last page of the book asks the children to write their “bright ideas to change the world before bedtime”, and the endpapers look like pieces of looseleaf paper, encouraging the children to keep writing.

The book’s optimistic tone and beautiful imagery will motivate children and adults alike to do something right away! There’s no need to wait for Earth Day to come around again – there’s always something to do to change the world.

Change the World Before Bedtime received the 2012 Gold Medal Award from the Mom’s Choice Awards.