Literacy Matters Winter 2022

Act with Kindness: A Children’s Literature Review Column for Teachers

by Hannah Buford, Katherine Davis, Emily Gerdes, Mary Catharine Mauney, Maggie Schneider, Maggie Sullivan and Lauren Zalud

Be Kind Zietlow Miller, Pat. (2018). Illus. by Jen Hill. Unpaged. Roaring Brook Press. 978-1626723214. $9.14 (Primary) —Mary Catharine Mauney Does showing kindness make a difference? Learning kindness is one of the most important skills for young children. In this New York Times bestseller, Zietlow Miller

with hopes of making it to Germany without being seen by patrols. Before reaching the shore in Greece, the boat holding twenty five people and a secret cat began to sink. The family decided to stay aboard in hopes of making it to Greece. When arriving in Greece, there were volunteers to help families get off the boat and continue their journey. The son got Kunkush off the boat and onto land, but he turned back to help his mom off the boat. Kunkush, who was frightened and wet, vanishes. Before the refugee family heads to Germany, will they find Kunkush? Will the volunteers, Amy and Doug, help the family be together again? The illustrations by Sue Cornelison utilize different shades of blue to capture and enhance the intense feelings of fear, joy, and security throughout the story. The book finishes with an informational page by the authors about why they wanted to help these refugees and tell their stories through children’s literature and real-life pictures of Kunkush, the family, and themselves assisting families arriving in Greece! This true story about a family’s unexpected turn of events when being displaced from their home and the power of kindness make this book a great option to add to your classroom library!

Literacy Matters General Articles

shares with readers many ways to show kindness to others through her character’s journey to support her friend, Tanisha. The young girl explores how small acts of kindness can lead to change in the world around her and how kindness can bring communities and, ultimately, the world together. Her journey begins in her classroom, takes her all through the world, and ends with the young girl back at school trying her best to show kindness to her new friend. While the young girl did not solve her friend’s problem, her act of kindness made a difference for Tanisha. This resolution in Be Kind teaches children we cannot always fix problems for others, but we can show them love and kindness to help them feel supported. Through vivid and enticing illustrations, Hill showcases acts of kindness and the two young girls’ beautiful world. Hill also incorporates a variety of cultures and diverse characters. Use this book with children, both young and old, to discuss the ways their decisions to be kind can impact others’ lives and ultimately create meaningful change. Zietlow Miller, the award-winning author of Sophie’s Squash , has created a powerful book to start conversations with young children.

Sidewalk Flowers Lawson, JonArno. (2015). Illus. by Sydney, Smith. Unpaged. Groundwood Books. 978-1-55498-431-2

$16.95 (Primary). —Emily Gerdes

Bright flowers dot the black and white pages of the city, coloring the area with kindness and empathy. This book unveils how the

Lost and Found Cat Kuntz, Doug, and Shrodes, Amy. (2017). Illus. by Sue, Cornelison. Unpaged. Crown Books for Young Readers. 978-1 5247-1547-2. $17.99 —Lauren Zalud Can you imagine losing your beloved pet as you flee your home? Unfortunately, a family in Mosul, Iraq, lived this experience. This picture book follows the true story

transformative nature of childlike play reveals how weeds along the sidewalk can look a lot like love. This beautiful and heart warming book features no words; instead, the illustrations and coloring paint a truly emotional experience. A young girl follows her father around the city, occasionally stopping to grab flowers along the sidewalk that catch her eye. The simplicity of this act soon shifts as the young girl gives her flowers to those who need them most- a testament to the kindness and generosity of children. While the illustrations paint the picture, the coloring tells the story. In a primarily black and white book, Smith skillfully uses color to symbolize love and the transference of kindness. The bright red of the young girl’s jacket looks a lot like love, a heart traveling the city and bringing light to those around it. Similarly, the colorful hues of the sidewalk flowers begin to color those around them, suggesting that sidewalk flowers are merely a metaphor for finding beauty every day and the generosity and kindness of sharing that reverence. This book

of a refugee family on their journey to safety. A mother, her four daughters, one son, and their cat, Kunkush, felt unsafe in Iraq. They flee to Istanbul in a bus and sail the Aegean Sea to Greece with hopes of arriving safely in Germany. The authors of this book, Doug Kuntz and Amy Shrodes, helped this family on their journey. Then the family embarked on a trip to the Aegean Sea to Greece

| 22 | Literacy Matters | Volume 22 • Winter 2022

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS