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Small Acts
From acclaimed authors Kate Foster and Kate Gordon, a special story about being kind to others... and yourself.
There are people everywhere who need help, who might seem okay on the outside but aren’t on the inside. People whose whole entire day can be changed ...
Josh wants a friend but he doesn’t know how to find somewhere to belong …
Ollie wants to express herself but doesn’t want to be noticed …
Small Acts introduces two kids with great hearts who know that helping others can start with one small act of kindness. Josh has a plan to start with just that. So does Ollie. What Josh and Ollie don’t know yet is that they need each other to make their plans work.
There are people everywhere who need help, who might seem okay on the outside but aren’t on the inside. People whose whole entire day can be changed ...
Josh wants a friend but he doesn’t know how to find somewhere to belong …
Ollie wants to express herself but doesn’t want to be noticed …
Small Acts introduces two kids with great hearts who know that helping others can start with one small act of kindness. Josh has a plan to start with just that. So does Ollie. What Josh and Ollie don’t know yet is that they need each other to make their plans work.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 7, 2024
Yet another super sweet story from Kate Foster, this time pairing up with the fabulous, Kate Gordon to create a touching story about the power of kindness.
February 1, 2025
Small Acts is a chapter book for kids by Kate Gordon and Kate Foster. It focuses on two kids, Josh and Ollie, and their desire to help others. The story perspective flips back and forth between these two, and the audience gets to read about how the pair want to help each other, even though they have barely spoken to each other.
My first thought about the book is that it’s okay. I feel like a lot of kids can relate to the characters in many ways. One of the primary themes is the neurodivergence of both Josh and Ollie; both are autistic and it can have effects on their everyday life. Which I think is an important theme because many people around the world have autism, and might be able to see their own experiences in the way either character feels it. Another important theme is the way both of the main characters want to help others. Though they can’t quite understand how to help others, they both make a good attempt to try and make other people happy. I think there was a good storyline, for each character, about how they are able to work through their thought processes and to try and figure out others’ needs. There’s also the theme of bullying, and the way it can have devastating affects on people; especially when they’re someone you had trust in.
Personally, I didn’t love the book. Mainly because I didn’t particularly like any of the characters very much. And I didn’t particularly enjoy much of what was going on. However, I think it was written reasonably well, and the authors were able to give the characters good intentions. There were good aspects of character development, where both main characters were able to open up to one another. They were able to make a good effort to try and help others. Even though, at first, they weren’t quite sure how to do so.
Overall, it’s not a book I enjoyed, personally. However, I think it’s the type of book that other people will enjoy a lot more than I did. And other people are more likely to relate to the characters more than I did. I think it was pretty okay. There’s some character development, and there’s a good show of the characters’ motivations and how they feel. I recommend that you give it a try.
My first thought about the book is that it’s okay. I feel like a lot of kids can relate to the characters in many ways. One of the primary themes is the neurodivergence of both Josh and Ollie; both are autistic and it can have effects on their everyday life. Which I think is an important theme because many people around the world have autism, and might be able to see their own experiences in the way either character feels it. Another important theme is the way both of the main characters want to help others. Though they can’t quite understand how to help others, they both make a good attempt to try and make other people happy. I think there was a good storyline, for each character, about how they are able to work through their thought processes and to try and figure out others’ needs. There’s also the theme of bullying, and the way it can have devastating affects on people; especially when they’re someone you had trust in.
Personally, I didn’t love the book. Mainly because I didn’t particularly like any of the characters very much. And I didn’t particularly enjoy much of what was going on. However, I think it was written reasonably well, and the authors were able to give the characters good intentions. There were good aspects of character development, where both main characters were able to open up to one another. They were able to make a good effort to try and help others. Even though, at first, they weren’t quite sure how to do so.
Overall, it’s not a book I enjoyed, personally. However, I think it’s the type of book that other people will enjoy a lot more than I did. And other people are more likely to relate to the characters more than I did. I think it was pretty okay. There’s some character development, and there’s a good show of the characters’ motivations and how they feel. I recommend that you give it a try.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2024
Small Acts by Kate Gordon and Kate Foster is the story of two autistic children, Josh and Ollie, who discover that small acts of kindness have the power to change their worlds.
Josh and Ollie are in year 5 at their local primary school but have never spoken to each other. Josh was friends with Andrew who lives next door and is a couple of years older. They connected over their love of photography and graphic design. However, Andrew won a scholarship to a prestigious high school and now Josh rarely sees him.
Meanwhile, Ollie loves sketching and making pieces of art from twigs, stones and other nature-related things she collects. Millie and Ollie had once been good friends, but since being bullied by Millie, Ollie is afraid to make new friends.
The story begins when Josh’s teacher shows the class a short news bulletin about people helping others in a variety of different ways, from donating money to charities, visiting lonely, elderly people and delivering food hampers. Josh is inspired to perform his own acts of kindness. Ollie shows kindness by leaving pieces of artwork for a lonely-looking boy who she sees quite often sitting in the park. Unbeknown to Ollie, the boy is Josh’s neighbour Andrew.
Josh and Ollie connect over their mutual interest in art and photography when their class visit the local art gallery. Andrew also joins them at the gallery and together they decide to start a kindness club.
While the story is somewhat unrealistic with everything turning out perfectly for Josh, Ollie and Andrew, it’s still a valuable and uplifting look at the world through the eyes of autistic children.
Josh and Ollie are in year 5 at their local primary school but have never spoken to each other. Josh was friends with Andrew who lives next door and is a couple of years older. They connected over their love of photography and graphic design. However, Andrew won a scholarship to a prestigious high school and now Josh rarely sees him.
Meanwhile, Ollie loves sketching and making pieces of art from twigs, stones and other nature-related things she collects. Millie and Ollie had once been good friends, but since being bullied by Millie, Ollie is afraid to make new friends.
The story begins when Josh’s teacher shows the class a short news bulletin about people helping others in a variety of different ways, from donating money to charities, visiting lonely, elderly people and delivering food hampers. Josh is inspired to perform his own acts of kindness. Ollie shows kindness by leaving pieces of artwork for a lonely-looking boy who she sees quite often sitting in the park. Unbeknown to Ollie, the boy is Josh’s neighbour Andrew.
Josh and Ollie connect over their mutual interest in art and photography when their class visit the local art gallery. Andrew also joins them at the gallery and together they decide to start a kindness club.
While the story is somewhat unrealistic with everything turning out perfectly for Josh, Ollie and Andrew, it’s still a valuable and uplifting look at the world through the eyes of autistic children.
January 20, 2025
This is a fabulous and sweet book about friendship, caring about people in different ways, autism and small acts of kindness. Enough to inspire you to small acts of kindness yourself.
Josh loves lists. He writes lists of what he wants to do. He wants to join a school club. In class, he is inspired by a video his teacher shows them – a video about kindness. He writes a new list. Acts of kindness.
Ollie doesn’t like to be centre of attention and doesn’t think she deserves friendship after a bad experience. She does love art. She is also inspired by the class video to do small acts of kindness.
These two very different children, through their acts of kindness and ideas for a Kindness club, inspire and change their whole school as well as their own lives. This is a gentle, uplifting book about a topic that could do with a little more hype. Small acts of kindness. This is a must have for reading to smaller children (or reading with slightly older ones – or even having your children read to you) and parents will get a little something out of it too. I have a feeling this book can and will inspire a new generation of kindness givers. Beautifully written by the two Kates – Kate Gordon and Kate Foster. I thoroughly recommend this book for all. Marvellous.
Josh loves lists. He writes lists of what he wants to do. He wants to join a school club. In class, he is inspired by a video his teacher shows them – a video about kindness. He writes a new list. Acts of kindness.
Ollie doesn’t like to be centre of attention and doesn’t think she deserves friendship after a bad experience. She does love art. She is also inspired by the class video to do small acts of kindness.
These two very different children, through their acts of kindness and ideas for a Kindness club, inspire and change their whole school as well as their own lives. This is a gentle, uplifting book about a topic that could do with a little more hype. Small acts of kindness. This is a must have for reading to smaller children (or reading with slightly older ones – or even having your children read to you) and parents will get a little something out of it too. I have a feeling this book can and will inspire a new generation of kindness givers. Beautifully written by the two Kates – Kate Gordon and Kate Foster. I thoroughly recommend this book for all. Marvellous.
August 25, 2024
Kate Gordon and Kate Foster’s collaboration has produced two of their most endearing characters yet. Small Acts follows Josh and Ollie, two very different autistic kids who have the same mission of bringing kindness to others. Along the way they will discover the importance of believing in themselves, friendship, and collaboration with like-minded people.
As an autistic adult, I could see younger me in aspects of both Josh and Ollie. The authors have done a wonderful job of showing how autism is experienced differently by each person, rather than relying on tropes or stereotypes. The characters and their experiences have been treated with so much care and respect. Although autism is central to the way Josh and Ollie experience the world, the story itself focuses on their journey to bring small acts of kindness to others.
In a world that can be difficult and scary at times, Small Acts is a ray of sunshine, illuminating the beauty of kindness and community.
As an autistic adult, I could see younger me in aspects of both Josh and Ollie. The authors have done a wonderful job of showing how autism is experienced differently by each person, rather than relying on tropes or stereotypes. The characters and their experiences have been treated with so much care and respect. Although autism is central to the way Josh and Ollie experience the world, the story itself focuses on their journey to bring small acts of kindness to others.
In a world that can be difficult and scary at times, Small Acts is a ray of sunshine, illuminating the beauty of kindness and community.
April 10, 2025
This book was really good, with it flipping from Josh's and Ollie's perspective, both kids wanting to help someone else. If everyone did this, the world would really be a happier place.
SPOLIER - I realy liked Andrew and Ollie's artworks!
SPOLIER - I realy liked Andrew and Ollie's artworks!
October 26, 2024
Brilliant! Absolutely a fantastic middle-grade fiction book that friendship, neurodiversity and small acts of kindness that affect the lives of others.
January 22, 2026
It was a nice message but there was a lot of typos
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews