The Sound of Kindness

Great book for classes and families

Beautiful story about how kindness sounds and how one can reply. The illustration are fabulous. My mind was spinning with all the ways this book can be used with students or anyone. To my delight, the last couple of pages lend ideas/notes on how you can further the message!

Best children’s book out there

This book made a great springboard for a K/1 guidance lesson!

A child asks, "How does kindness talk?" An adult says that they can take a walk and learn what kindness sounds like by listening. They encounter many instances of kindness, thoughtfulness, and friendship as they walk through the neighborhood. Whether it is offering to help carry groceries, letting someone else board the bus first, or encouraging students in a dance class - there are kind words of all sorts. The illustrations are done in soft colors with the characters in more vivid hues when they are the focus of the scene. The rhyming text leaves plenty of room for discussion and exploration. Back matter includes a note to readers about how much easier it is to notice kindness or to act kind when we are intentional about it. There are suggestions for how to conduct a variety of kindness walks: a quiet walk, a nature walk, a memory walk, a literary walk, and a pretend walk (using imagination). There are also details about the author, illustrator, and Magination Press itself. There are also details about the author, illustrator, and Magination Press itself. This title is perfect for sharing with a class or other group, or to explore one on one with a child.

This book is different than most "kindness books" because it is entirely in speech bubbles, so it's not just about showing kindness but also using kind words. (Also, I'm very picky about this, and the rhymes are actually good and well done!) I have to say to my kids all the time, "can you think of a kinder way to say that?" and "that didn't come out kind." What I love about this book is that it models kind ways to speak, while showing that kindness is all around us if we look for it. I love the idea of the "kindness walk" and how awesome that there are ideas of how to do this in the back!

This is a beautifully illustrated book with a wonderful message - kindness. As a father and young daughter wander through their neighborhood, they hear and see many different expressions of kindness taking place. This is a book that will give a child both much to look at, and much to remember, and is sure to become a favorite!! My thanks to the American Psychology Association and Magination for allowing me to read an ARC of this book which is scheduled to become available June 13, 2023. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

There are many sounds of kindness; when we look for it, we hear kind words all over the place. In this book, a man and child walk around, listening for the ways people are kind to each other. It's a simple act of mindfulness that's uplifting, even in a fictional moment. This would be a great book for introducing a mindful activity in the home or classroom, but it's generally uplifting even if just read on its own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.