Chain Reaction! A Small Kindness by Stacy McAnulty

 

IT WAS LIKE A GAME OF TAG.

ALICE SMILED AT LUCAS...

It's a drab day as a group of preschool kids line up in front of the school with their teacher, Ms. Jones. She gives them her best welcoming smile.

As the kids put away their things in their cubbies, Alice passes along that smile, which moves Lucas to give a welcoming wave to Jasmine, who, in the morning circle willingly passes a turn to hold the class hamster along to a patiently waiting Xavier, who returns the favor to Ms. Jones by holding the door to the Art Room.

It's a chain reaction, as one good deed deserves another through the day. Xaxier's gentlemanly act helps Ms. Jones keep her cool and joke with Henry when he spills blue paint on the floor, and as the school day goes on, each child in turn is moved to pass along small kindnesses and helpfulness until all the class is smiling, cooperating, and high fiving. It's a really good day for Ms. Jones' class, in Stacy McAnulty's just published A Small Kindness (Roaring Press Kids, 2021). Artist Wendy Leach moves from an opening sepia page to a soft rainbow of coloration which spreads from child to child to teacher and even the custodian in the hall in a rainbow of good will which continues on the playground until every student is shown in full color, symbolically brightened by small kindnesses, compliments and courtesies, in the spirit of paying it forward that motivates each of them to share.

AND EVERYBODY WON!

A delightful cooperation between author and illustrator makes this a good book for the first day of school or any dreary day that needs a bit of brightening goodwill.

Says Booklist, "A clever visual conceit helps demonstrate the simple power of paying kindness forward in this gentle, encouraging picture book."