Good

by Alexs Pate, Tequitia Andrews (illustrator)

“At the heart of everything is you. And you are Good just as you are.” Award-winning author Alexs Pate reminds readers of the inner Good found inside each of us. This Good is the source of joy, hope, laughter, and dreams. But what happens to that Good when life offers up big challenges—the kind that can make us forget about our Good and instead choose Trouble? With poetic and lyrical language, Pate shows readers that even when Trouble comes calling, Good is at the heart of everything they are.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

36 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2025

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

I really think every single child should have this book or one similar to it. Parents and educators tend to focus on the bad behavior the children do and forget to praise them for being good. This is especially a problem when their are multiple children in the family (or classroom), and there are one or more behavioral issues. The children who don't tend to fade in the background unless or until they start exhibiting problematic

Tell your kids when they are being good.

Definitely would recommend this.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrator of this is Tequitia Andrews.The illustrations are colorful, soft, and have a sweetness to them. The illustrations are inviting and relevant to the story itself.

This is a sweet book perfect for younger children. This has more illustrations than dialogue and feels like it was written for toddler age children. This is also important for grade school-age kids, maybe pre K-grade 2. My toddler aged grandson loved the illustrations and kept hugging my tablet as I was reading the story. It was somewhat adorable.

Thank you to Alexs Pate, Capstone, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ebook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

[bookcookery]

I think I would have appreciated what Good is trying to accomplish more if I had read Pate’s The Innocent Classroom first. But should a picture book require a nonfiction companion text to be fully appreciated as a work of art? Probably not.

The artwork is simple and sweet, though I wish the interior illustrations reflected more of the vibrant color palette shown on the cover. The slow, repetitive affirmations will likely resonate most with the younger end of the suggested age range (ages 3–5 rather than 6–9), and the tone is well-suited to a gentle read before nap time. The core message (that you are good just as you are) is beautiful and universally relevant.

While Good doesn’t reference any specific religious text, I, like some other reviewers, felt the language alluded to common religious sentiments and concepts. It’s possible that Pate uses this language unconsciously or perhaps intentionally to make the message feel more accessible to some readers, but in either case, I worry that it will instead alienate those outside that tradition. For that reason, I don't think this book is the best fit for broader audiences, especially in a classroom setting aiming to explore this theme inclusively.

Thanks to Capstone Editions and Goodreads for providing an advance reading copy.

[Bookmeaway · Rating 3 out of 5]

GOOD - 3,25/5 - lecture en anglais.


Good is about reminding ourselves about the good we have inside of us. Even if we forget about it, lose it, we still can find it within us. Or Good can come back to us itself.

"Try not to leave it behind. But if you do, don't worry. It will find you again. Your Good will not leave you, no matter the wind or rain."

I read a few other reviews before writing mine and I agree about some point as per exemple : sometimes it's a bit confusing as we can interpret the words as different meanings. It wasn't quite clear about what Trouble could be, I don't think the story matched the illustration when it came to Trouble. Also misread Good with God sometimes.

"Trouble wants you Good.
It looks for Good.
It lives on Good."

Maybe it could have been a little longer and matched better the words with the illustrations.

Loved the message about Good can come back to us even when we struggle or don't feel like we could find it back ourself. A reminder that Good lives inside of us can't hurt.

"Your Good is stronger today than it was yesterday."

#Good #Netgalley

[Ollie Skyba · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful, brilliant idea—and I love the way it’s presented. The short, succinct sentences feel like a sermon (in the best way)—clear, precise, and to the point, like a well-rehearsed speech. The book teaches children about GOODness, about facing challenges, about resilience and discovering their own strength and character.

However, the illustrations didn’t resonate with me at all. It’s a matter of taste, of course, but I found them distracting rather than enhancing the message. The rough, simple style, reminiscent of children’s watercolor paintings, makes sense conceptually, yet it prevented me from fully embracing the book. The words spoke to me, but the images did not.

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

[Lila Danisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It might be hard to believe that you could have something so powerful inside. That your Good lifts you up no matter what has happened.

- Good, 39.00%

Good book to teach little ones about the good within themselves. Though to be honest, since my son is (only) 4 years old, it was kinda challenging to teach him about goodness in him. However, thanks to the clear illustrations, my son could grasp the idea of this book. At the end of the book, he summarized the book in his style as to be kind to his friends and everyone. That's a win for me if he could understand even just the surface of idea of this book.

Your Good will not leave you, no matter the wind or rain.

- Good, 81.00%

Thank you to Alexs Pate, Capstone Publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Brigid · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book for adults to read with their toddlers around age 3+. I like that the authors make a distinction that trouble does not embody or define a child. A child's actions may be troublesome but they, as a person, are not. That's an incredibly important lesson. The concept of 'good' is still pretty abstract in this book and may be difficult for toddlers to understand. However, I think this book serves as a good entry point for adults to discuss with their littles what it means to be and feel good.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good is a book that lovingly expresses to children that 'good' is not something they have to necessarily do or live up to; they are, at heart, already good as they are.

It's definitely presented as more of an abstract concept, but it's a positive sentiment nonetheless and the illustrations are wonderful. (Shout-out to an illustrator from RVA! ♥)

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[LaShanda Chamberlain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good by Alexs Pate is a heartwarming book that encourages young readers to focus on the positive aspects of themselves and the world around them. With simple, easy-to-understand messages about kindness, good choices, and positivity, this book is a great tool for teaching children about good behavior. The bright and engaging illustrations help bring the messages to life, making it an enjoyable and meaningful read that sparks important conversations in a friendly, approachable way.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advance copy.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good. It’s about the good that somebody has within themselves and that they can spread to others. It warns that sometimes trouble will want to come in, but as long as you remain to the good, life will be good. This was interesting. It may not be for everybody , but it is an interesting read.

[Danielle Mccoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

This picture book shows that everyone has good in them even when trouble comes to call. Very uplifting and almost spiritual this book is perfect for kids who sometimes get told that they're not good or perfect because we all are good at the core.

[Nitoy Gonzales · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice read but I feel that it needs more "juice" to stand out rather than a typical "follow your heart" or " you are the best version of yourself" type of book. The artwork is the only thing I can say is "good" in this book.

[Nitoy Gonzales · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice read but I feel that it needs more "juice" to stand out rather than a typical "follow your heart" or " you are the best version of yourself" type of book. The artwork is the only thing I can say is "good" in this book.

[Diane Rembert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book teaches children to see the good in every situation and to always do good. It also lets them know that even when bad things happen, continue to do good.

I highly recommend this one for young people.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great way to show that you can be/are good even if you go through rough times. I appreciate the positivity of this book and the different type of art style it uses as well.

[Rae the Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really sweet. It's great if you're looking for affirmations and I think it would serve well as a bed time or readalong with preschoolers.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
"At the heart of everything is you and at the heart of you is Good" starts this delightful book about staying true to the good inside you even when trouble comes calling.