Kindness Rocks

by Megan Murphy, JiaJia Hamner (illustrator)

A picture book from the founder of The Kindness Rocks Project to celebrate the power of kind words and actions

One message at just the right moment can change someone’s entire day, outlook, or even life! From Megan Murphy, the founder of The Kindness Rocks Project, comes a picture book about the power of kindness. Follow a diverse group of children, strangers to each other but each dealing with their own very bad day. When they each find a painted rock with a positive message, they pick up their paint brushes to pass along their kind message, and so the chain of kindness heals one heart after another. With sweet illustrations by JiaJia Hamner, Kindness Rocks is perfect for library and classroom reading time to inspire everyone to plant a little extra kindness in the world.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

33 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 11, 2025

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay! A great book for anyone who has a kindness rock garden and very happy for this book for COLOR YOUR WORLD, summer reading, 2025.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrator of this picture book is JiaJia Hammer. The illustrations are crisp, colorful, and inviting.

This is a sweet and timely children's picture book focusing on how kindness can make a hard day better. This highlights representation for multiple kids while encouraging them to be the change they needed for someone else. This is truly what we need to be teaching children in these troubled times.

Thank you to Megan Murphy, Familius, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ebook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

[Simi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not so much a standalone children’s book as it’s a companion to the Kindness Rocks project, which is explained at more detail at the end. It provides a good starting point for kids to join in the project but in isolation (for example, in a library), I’m not sure it will explain enough. The illustrations are beautiful, however.

Thank you to Familius and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh this book is so cute! The artwork is beautiful and the story and message is so precious. My kids and I love looking for these rocks in a local town. They love this book! Thank you NetGalley!

[*Tau* · Rating 3 out of 5]

For people who like: interesting creative projects

In five words: children - kindness - rocks - messages - colorful

Positive points: For those who aren't familiar with 'kindness rocks', these are painted rocks or pebbles which often feature positive words or quotes and are left for others to find and collect them. This book is perfect to teach children about empathy and kindness as it discussses situations they can relate to. Furthermore it sparkles the creativity of children and adults alike. Because after reading this book and looking at the website, I'm sure lots of them will want to try this out and create their own kindness rocks.

Negative points: The plot of this book was too repetitive without adding something new and the illustrations didn't really appeal to me.

More info: Read all about the Kindness Rocks Project on the official website. A tutorial on how to create a kindness rock can be found here and a motivational movie about kindness can be found here.

Rating: 2,5* rounded up to 3* because it promotes kindness

Publication date: 11.03.2025

*Thanks to NetGalley and Familius for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Margaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book focuses on the sharing of something called kindness rocks, or stones which are painted with happy designs and placed in spots for others to find and brighten their day. Each of the children in the book finds one of these rocks placed there by another before, and turns their day into something positive. The last child brings his idea to an even bigger audience, with kindness multiplied! The diversity is a big strength of this book, with children in different situations, family lives, and with different reasons for having a bad day. Despite the multitude of reasons the children have for being down, the kindness rocks bring a smile and a bright idea.

The cover is super cute and gives a great feel for what the book is about. I like the interesting letter choices for the title that give a good idea of the whimsical nature of kindness rocks and the fun they bring to the everyday lives of the children in the story. As a pet person, I loved the inclusion of a story with pets and thought the pictures were so cute! I think children will not only love the cute and colorful full-page illustrations, but might also identify with one of the characters in the book due to the diversity within. I think this is a great thing to accomplish, since connecting with characters in stories is a great way to get children involved in reading. This would be an amazing book for teachers/librarians to introduce a kindness rocks project to their classroom, or parents to their children. :)

[Joey Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Familius and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

This was so precious and adorable, I really loved the sweet message that it shared and the love and kindness of each child. It was so well thought out and I loved that the illustrations were completely linked to the story.

After one child had a bad day, they found a rock with a nice message, they left one for another child and a thread of kindness began. As one bad day gets brighten up they each help brighten someone else’s. It was soo lovely to read and to look at each page seeing what the child’s message said.

I really enjoyed this book so much, it’s always important to be kind, to help lift the spirits of others surrounding you as you never know when someone might just need that help. This book teaches children that just a small act like leaving a pretty decorated rock with a sweet message of kindness, love and care can help inspire and bring a smile to someone’s face.

A perfect read to read with your young children, they’ll not only learn all about kindness, they’ll have beautiful illustrations to look at, throughout the story. The book also featured an array of diversity within the illustration which was so lovely to see.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very cute story about multiple children’s days being changed by a positive message on a rock they found. These are not just any rocks, they are kindness rocks! It is a movement that takes place all around the world where if you find a rock with a positive message or picture on it, you can take it home. The idea is that you will then be inspired to make your own rock and leave it somewhere out in the world for someone else to find and continue the cycle and hopefully each time a rock is found, it makes that person's day just a little bit brighter.

The illustrations were adorable and very detailed. They also give a lot of great ideas as to what your kindness rocks can look like. I actually made kindness rocks with my Girl Scout troop a few years ago and everyone enjoyed the activity. We had just as much fun placing them around town together as we did when making them! It is a great activity for all ages to either do on your own or with a group of friends!

Thank you NetGalley, Familius, Megan Murphy, and JiaJia Hamner for allowing me to read this advanced copy of Kindness Rocks! It is such a fun activity and I am glad this book was able to capture the spirit of spreading joy through Kindness Rocks!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindness Rocks provides inspiration for spreading kindness in your community. Written by Megan Murphy, the founder of the Kindness Rocks Project Ⓡ, this book imparts a practical way to share uplifting messages and promote empathy and connection. In the story, a series of children having bad days find rocks with positive messages that lift their spirits. To pay the kindness forward, they each create a new rock to leave for someone else to find. Readers can follow the storyline from one character to the next as kindness spreads. The repetitive phrasing in the book, and depiction of authentic experiences will appeal to young readers. JiaJia Hamner’s colourful illustrations and representation of diverse children allows readers to relate to the characters and situations shown in the book. Elementary educators will appreciate the valuable message in the book that provides a starting point to a meaningful school project. Kindness Rocks would make an excellent addition to a school library collection. Thank you to Familius LLC for providing this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just recently one of the high school clubs I advise painted Kindness Rocks. It has been a tradition at our high school for at least five years. Students will often show me the rocks that they find around campus. Most of the time students keep them, but sometimes they pass the rocks along to others who are in more need of that particular message.

The story “Kindness Rocks” follows a group of children as their days are turned around by the kind messages of others. In turn, they pay it forward and create their own Kindness Rocks to help others.

This book would be great as part of a project where older students bring a copy of “Kindness Rocks” and rock painting supplies to a class of younger students. The older kids could read the book to the younger ones then the two groups could then create rocks to leave around campus or the community to spread messages of kindness.

I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and Familius Books, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book! I think that there is a really solid and heartwarming idea here, the execution was just a bit off. I'll start with the good. I loved the vibrant and diverse colors throughout the book. They really pushed the tones of hope, happiness, and kindness that the story had. However, the plot didn't do a great job at keeping this great story engaging. Majority of the book was highly repetitive, and the writing for most of the pages was the exact same, the only difference being the names. This really dulled what could have otherwise been a really fun book, and a lot of substance was lost. Although, that being said, I really liked the ending. It helped to bring the whole idea/message home, and felt sincere. Lastly, the instructions at the back of the book on how to make your own Kindness Rocks was such a clever idea! This inspires young readers to get involved in their own communities and make a difference to create a sweeter, kinder world, one rock at a time.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can you brighten someone's day when you don't know them or their problems? Try painting a smooth rock with a simple message and you BOTH will feel better! Read along in the book to see how kindness can leave a trail to follow
The illustrations by Jiajia Hamner are simple, brilliantly colored, and meaningful.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected e-file on Adobe Digital Editions from Familius via NetGalley. Thank you!
Avail Mar 11, 2025, #KindnessRocks by Megan Murphy with Laurel Alyesworth illustrator @Familius#NetGalley @CBCBook @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @waterstones ***** #Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org Ages 3 and up @bookshop_org_uk @childrensbookcouncil #TheKindnessRocksProject #PictureBook #CaringAndSharing

[Reading Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

We enjoyed this book so much. I think the Kindness Rocks Project is a brilliant idea. The book shows us the power that both kind words and kind actions can have on people. Sometimes a special message at the perfect time is exactly what someone needs to make their day better. In this story we get to follow a diverse group of children on their day. Each child is going through a bad day, until they find a special, uplifting message on a painted rock. Then they decide to paint their own rocks and pass the positivity along. This kindness goes a long way to making everyone feel better.
I love this book so much. I shared it with my little ones and they loved it, they wanted to make their own rocks too. An encouraging book that promotes understanding, kindness and sharing positivity. Your family will love this book. Your family can also make your own Kindness Rocks to share.
Great for early childhood classroom and elementary school. Great for anyone!

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfectly decent book, that portrays people being perfectly decent to others, without ever meeting them. It's a cycle of child having a bad day, finding a decorated pebble or stone that has an affirmative message on, and then making their own for the next child having a bad day to find, which duly leads to them decorating theirs in turn and paying it forward, etc etc. That said, there is just enough variety in the situations they're all left and found, and the messages, and the reason for the bad day, and the decoration – in actual fact, it looks like a whole bunch of these stones are out there, and the book insists we try and join in with pebbles of our own. As the closing instructions demand we make sure that the art is not going to leach into the environment or anything, this can only be a firm positive. Much like the whole achievement here – a strong four stars.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindness Rocks by Megan Murphy introduces readers to the Kindness Rocks Project, where uplifting messages are painted on rocks for others to find. The story is repetitive showing each child, after having a bad day, discovering a painted rock that lifts their spirits and then making rocks of their own. The simple, repetitive text is ideal for young readers, making it easy to follow and engage with.

My toddler enjoyed predicting what each child might be feeling sad about. This book is a great companion for a rock painting activity, encouraging creativity and kindness in a hands-on way. It’s a solid choice for parents or teachers looking to teach children about empathy and the impact of small gestures.

Thank you to NetGalley and Familius for the advanced copy.

[Eline Pullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an adorable picture book about the happy stones you sometimes find along the road. The concept of pay it forward plays a big role in this story. In the story you meet all kind of children from a neighborhood. They help, encourage and support each other by decorating pebbles with kind messages and putting them in places where they can be found. The bright colorful pictures contribute to the kind message of this book. The story mentioned all kind of children having a bad day, the story would have been more interesting to me, when it would give a little more detail about the sort of ‘bad’ day.

Altogether a sweet picture with a kind message.
Big thanks for NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Ali Duggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and I think it has the potential to reach a lot of kids (and their family members) and impact others in a real and positive way!

I appreciated the repetition in this book. I feel like that will make the messaging very clear for young readers as well as make it easy for them to remember. I also really enjoyed the visible diversity throughout the story as well as giving kids very applicable ways that their positivity and kindness can help others.

I loved the step by step instructions in the back of the book for ways to join in the Kindness Rocks movement.

I really enjoyed the illustrations and the bright colors that were chosen.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy for an honest review!

[Ollie Skyba · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple story told in just a few lines, yet powerful enough to bring goosebumps and even tears of affection. I love the idea behind it—not just as a book, but as a real-life practice.
I also enjoy painting kindness rocks and leaving them around the city, watching as some disappear, new ones appear, and others remain, carrying their messages through the seasons. A small reminder like "Your smile decorates the world" or "Yes, you can do it!" can brighten someone’s day.
This book is a gentle nudge to live by the golden rule—treat others the way you want to be treated. Be kind, and let the world see it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindness Rocks, written by Megan Murphy, is a sweet and inspirational book written by the founder of The Kindness Rocks project. This beautifully written and illustrated children’s book tells the story of different children, who for one reason or another, are not having a good day. But instead of getting upset or angry, or being unkind to someone else, they chose to use this as an opportunity to be kind to others by making kindness rocks. I really appreciate that this book reminds children that they can do a little something to help make a difference in someone’s day, to be kind to another person, and sometimes this is all we need to do to make ourselves feel better.
Thank you to NetGalley, and to the author and publisher of this book for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review will be live on my blog - donnasbookblog on 11 March 2025 - Publication day!

I really enjoyed this book and it has a great selection of projects that can be completed with some easy to follow instructions and steps to complete them.

The illustrations in the book were great and they bring the different pages to life - we have seen a few of these stones on our walks and I loved the idea for these of picking one up and putting down another and the positive impact that something so simple and small can have - wonderful and can't wait to do our own to share with the community - Kindness does rock!

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Familius through NetGalley.
Readers see how a small kindness like an encouraging note written on a rock can help so many people. One young boy had a really bad day and found a rock with "It's okay" written on it. He painted another rock and left it for someone else to find. From here the circle of kindness spreads and finishes with a class choosing to paint rocks and share them. The illustrations capture the characters' emotions and the way they change when they find the encouraging notes. Informative text on kindness rocks is included at the end. Perfect book to introduce being kind and sharing encouragement with others.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so pleased to find each page only had about a sentence on them, just right for early readers. Not only that, but this concept is the best! :)

I will definitely be joining the Kindness Rock Project with my family and I hope this publishing brings more people to the cause.

I'll be buying this when it comes out along with recommending it to everyone I know who has children.

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Megan Murphy, JiaJia Hamner and Familius for the DRC in exchange for my honest review!}

[Kaitlyn Bieszk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindness Rocks is an amazing initiative that has been around for a long time. This book shows young readers what the intent of the “craft project” is supposed to bring to others. I love the last page which brings the description about The Kindness Rocks Project as well as how to join the project. The illustrations are amazing and I think this book would be a great read to children before participating in the project.

Thank you to NetGalley and Familius for the advanced reader copy. This book will be published on March 11, 2025.

[Bailey Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindness Rocks is an uplifting, fun, beautiful, kind, heartfelt, and empathetic story! Written by the founder of The Kindness Rocks Project this book highlights the profound impact little acts of kindness can have. An entire community feels the ripple effect of kindness when a little bit of kindness is spread and inspires others. I adore that this book focuses on children and the power they have to create change. The bad day each character are things young readers will relate to. Hopefully, reader this story will inspire empathy in addition to kindness. This is truly a beautiful read!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet book with adorable illustrations. Thank you NetGalley for ARC. My recommendation to the publisher would be to consider modifying the first two “bad days”. As an adult, I drop stuff and my bag spills everywhere. That does not constitute a bad day. Sometimes I eat lunch alone or look forward to eating lunch alone. That does not constitute a bad day. The other examples work better in terms of setting children’s healthier expectations for “bad days”. Lovely and encouraging story. I’m inspired to create a few kindness rocks!

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC. This book screams school library and activity starter. My son is one and half and did seem interested in the books bright illustrations. I really enjoyed the message and concept. It’s something I can see us doing as an activity and really enjoying it when he’s old enough to understand. Where the book fell flat for me was the ending. I really would have preferred one more page that just summarized the idea of kindness rocks. The ending as is feel very abrupt compared to the established idea of kindness brightening the kiddos day.

[Catharina · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 Kindness Rocks by Megan Murphy

I read Kindness Rocks by Megan Murphy with my 2 and 4-year-old, and they absolutely loved it! I was so touched by how the simple words convey such a powerful message. The illustrations are playful and really bring the story to life. This book is a wonderful reminder that even on tough days, we’re not alone, and a little kindness can brighten someone else's day. It's the perfect read for storytime or bedtime, offering both encouragement and inspiration for little ones and grown-ups alike!

[Grace-Marie Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seems a little incomplete, especially without the journal. It fails to stand alone. While there is information about the Kindness Rocks Project, the content did not feel entirely linked to each other. I would have preferred more "I feel..." statements about the Kindness Rocks and how they helped the kids with their "bad, bad day". As it reads now, the power of kindness rocks feels diminished. I was just waiting for more.

[Hallpassreader Carrie Prock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a teacher, but I’m also Girl Scout leader. I have heard of many troops and scouts decorating rocks with positive affirmations or kind words. I love that there’s a book to explain it. I did feel that the books words could’ve been improved on throughout the book it was a bit too simple like they were trying to make it like a Dr. Seuss book that repeats itself however it didn’t really bring life to the characters.

[Tam Desai · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was full of hope as young children faced various hardships through the encouraging messages passed on through painted rocks. I loved the story itself and how it encourages children to pass on kindness. The words themselves were pretty basic, told in verse that did not change throughout so that the illustrations did most of the storytelling, I only wish there had been a bit more variety through the book to support that.

#NetGalley