Zero Local: Next Stop: Kindness

by Ethan Murrow, Vita Murrow

Board the train for a story of art, diversity, and community in a near-wordless tale told through masterful, sumptuously detailed black-and-white illustrations.

Train riders are used to stressful delays on the Zero Local line. But when a new passenger shows gratitude to the driver on their daily commute, tensions begin to ease. Eventually the artistic traveler stops riding the Zero Local line, and discord begins to creep back into the train car. Will the regular passengers find a way to restore the sense of camaraderie they once felt? Inspired by a true story, Ethan and Vita Murrow share with us a tender ode to the power of art and its ability to foster friendship and community in the most unlikely of places.

Genres: Picture Books, Art, Childrens, Transport, Trains, Urban, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

Published April 14, 2020

About the author

Ethan Murrow shows his drawings, film, and video work internationally and has exhibited in Paris, New York, Seattle, and Los Angeles. Dust, a short film he collaborated on with wife, Vita, and Harvest Films, was an official selection of the 2008 New York Film Festival. Ethan Murrow is currently a faculty member at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

A single act of kindness along the tracks of life we all must travel - powerful wordless book that illustrates how even a small act can ripple out and become a connection to others that are having an even harder time than we are. Truly a unique book that I think will make young children see that empathy is not weakness - it is a strong bond that we all should share.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black and white with traces of yellow pencil drawings illustrate how a little bit of art, consideration, and gratitude can change a train commute. Spread kindness. I departed with a smile. Excellent artwork. 4.5 stars.

[Michele Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Husband and wife team up for another gorgeous wordless picture book that shows how one small act of kindness can be spread. It's gorgeous.

[Robin]

Terrific artwork, cheesy subtitle.

[Dylan Teut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant masterpiece.

[Ron Turner]

Not a big fan of textless stories but worth it alone for the beautiful illustrations and positive message.

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired By A True Story!
Board the train for a story of art, diversity, and community in a near-wordless tale told through masterful, sumptuously detailed black-and-white illustrations.

Train riders are used to stressful delays on the Zero Local line. But when a new passenger shows gratitude to the driver on their daily commute, tensions begin to ease. Eventually the artistic traveler stops riding the Zero Local line, and discord begins to creep back into the train car. Will the regular passengers find a way to restore the sense of camaraderie they once felt? Inspired by a true story, Ethan and Vita Murrow share with us a tender ode to the power of art and its ability to foster friendship and community in the most unlikely of places.

Out April 2020

40 Pages

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

“Inspired by a true story, Ethan and Vita Murrow share a tender ode to the power of art and its ability to foster friendship and community in the most unlikely of places.”

The Murrows, husband and wife team have been working together for more than fifteen years telling stories through film, video, and installation and in books… read more about them here.

There is a smoky, charcoal-like haziness to Murrow’s artwork. I absolutely love it, but not as much as I love the story the lead character tells about kindness. I will use this book mentoring my special needs adults in our new learning centre in the near future. As part of their social skills guidance, this book will show through terrific illustrations and the power of kindness and what you can accomplish by being kind.

[Eve Costarelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

With very few words, this wonderful picture book is able to clearly express kindness and gratitude and how the two can easily help to build community. In an urban setting, on a commuter rail, where the characters are at first noticeably separated and in their own worlds, how one small gesture can awaken people to what is in front of them. The Butterfly Effect is in full form-where a tiny change in one place creates a large effect in another. Here we see a young child taking on the job of spreading love and positivity-one tiny gesture. The others start to notice, show their curiosity, get involved and smile-change happening. They will then go on their ways, back into their worlds again, but this time with a different paradigm, thereby affecting change on a much larger level.

This is all told in a seemingly simple book. But the few words, the scratch pencil art that is only highlighted occasionally by bursts of yellow. Why not just try to read the story by looking for the yellow moments-what story can you derive from them?

I love the diverse character array, the varied perspectives offered by the angles drawn, that the speed of movement is created wonderfully with pencil lines and from end-sheet to end-sheet pure creative fun! I highly recommend this book. It’s a shower of mindfulness that will evoke curiosity and a wonder view of the world.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating window into a train carriage, its occupants and their behaviours on the daily commute. When the journey is straightforward they sit harmoniously but isolated but when there are delays tension rises within the carriage. The arrival of an eccentric artist and her pet cockatoo changes the dynamics with the other passengers becoming interested in the art work and even during delays on the line this small group remain engaged and happy. At the end of the trip the artist presents her picture to the driver as a thank you. Observed all along by a girl and her mother, they not the departure of the artist from their carriage and deterioration of interactions between the passengers. During a lengthy delay when tensions build the girl takes out scissors and paper and starts a cut out - of the cockatoo.
The story ends with the cockatoo cutout being added to the other drawings in the driver's carriage.

Told entirely through pencil illustrations in shades of grade except for happy highlights in a soft yellow, Murrow presents a wonderful story of community connectedness and how an act of kindness can change the dynamics between a disparate group. There is also a subtle subtext via the multicultural and socially diverse group of passengers.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wordless story beautifully depicts the connections created by sharing, kindness and the power of art.

A local commuter train is plagued by delays resulting in irritable travelers. An artist utilizes his talents to entertain a child and show appreciation and kindness to the driver for several days. One day he does not appear and the bad tempers begin to once again spill over until the young girl employs the gift of kindness she has learned.

A simple and effective message beautifully conveyed for children and one I think they will remember long after the book is closed. The realism of the graphite illustrations is so compelling and the touches of yellow add glowing highlights that assist a young reader. It is wonderful to have a story with this gritty urban setting so skillfully portrayed as it is rather unusual in children's books.

A perfect lap book for sharing and for repeated and careful enjoyment.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's nearly wordless except for day by day announcements of a train on time or delayed. You will recognize almost the same passengers each day, focusing first on a lone artist who watches a young girl and her mother, sits down and draws a funny picture as she watches, later gives it to the engineer with 'thank you' written on it. Everyone seems to love what kindness that artist brings to the ride. One day, that artist is not there and an argument breaks out. What happens as the young girl begins her own "art" is kindness passed on at the "Zero Local". The drawings in nearly all black and white graphite show varied expressions, including fatigue, frustration, anger, and then lovely happiness.
Thanks to Candlewick Press for the copy!

[Arminzerella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Passengers on the Z-train often have to deal with delays of service or other stressful events as they commute. But one passenger uses their artistic skills to create handmade thank-you letters for the train's conductor, and her work makes everyone smile. When she isn't on the train, a little girl takes up her mission and makes her own kind of art to share. This wordless picture book shows how a little kindness and gratitude can soothe tempers and spread positive feelings rather than stress, tension, anger. Black and white and grays with accents of bright yellow show how sunny/happy feelings spread through the passengers.

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

The Zero Local train is often delayed, but an artistic rider helps keep the peace through small acts of kindness and always thanking the driver. But when the artist no longer joins the daily commute, tension starts to re-enter the always-slow ride. Can other community members step up and figure out how to restore calm?

These illustrations are gorgeous! So many details in mostly black and white graphite drawings, derived from studio photos created with actors and sets. Splatters of yellow focus the reader's eye across the wordless pages. Inspired by a true story.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Passengers on the subway have a week of ups and downs, but there is always time for kindness and gratitude. On Monday, during heavy delays on the track, an artistic subway passenger creates a drawing for the subway driver as a little girl looks on. By the end of the week, the little girl is using her own artistic abilities to spread joy and gratitude to other passengers.

Fabulous illustrations and a great message.

[Christine Irvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of how kindness and gratitude can change the lives of passengers on a train is told with beautifully detailed black-and-white drawings and almost no text. Enjoy the richness of the illustrations while you create the story with your own words.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mostly wordless story, illustrated in black-and-white with selective use of color, conveys how the smallest actions can have the deepest impacts.

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindness makes a difference on a train ride.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

An artist writes a thank you card to the subway bus driver every time he rides. It inspires a little girl to do the same and share her artwork with others on the subway.

[Chris Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lived.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tempers are short on a crowded subway train that is running late. When an artist passenger with a yellow bird on their shoulder starts making fanciful drawings, the riders are calmed and young child nearby is captivated. The conductor is especially pleased, as the artist hands them a thank you drawing. As the week wears on, the artist continues to draw on the crowded daily commute. When they are absent later in the week, and again the mood becomes tense, the child has the idea to make cut paper birds, which fly free from the paper and delight the passengers. This wordless picture book invites repeated readings, as details in the illustrations become more meaningful each time. The scenery and surrounding cityscape is dreary and dense, but as the story elapses, readers can notice that splashes of yellow, first introduced by the hat and bird of the artist, become more numerous, correlating to the spread of happy vibes from the freely given art. The graphite drawings in black and white with splashes of yellow were made from photographs taken of specially designed sets, and appear hyper realistic. Kids who love subway trains will be drawn in by the scenes, and their grownups will have the opportunity to point out how a kind stranger can change the world by their art.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wordless, story-in-pictures book. The idea of kindness to strangers and those around us was addressed through a flamboyant artist riding public transport and spreading goodwill to other, who in turn pass it on. There was something about it that didn't resonate with me and my son though, and I can't put my finger on what it is. After we read it, he said, Mom, I didn't like this one as much. I know it's about being kind, but this one isn't working for me. I told him I felt the same.

[Jared White · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art in this is amazing and the message is a good one, but I didn't think it was delivered that well. Also, I know the child in the end meant well by creating and giving the birds to their fellow passengers and the train conductor, but I wish the illustrations would have depicted them cleaning up their mess. Not only is it littering, but it's making the conductor's train dirty (and potentially making even more falls likely because someone may slip on those scraps of paper).

[Dedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This (mostly) wordless picture book is impressive. It tells a powerful story of how art and kindness can bring different people together. I especially like the use of the color yellow... it's like the warmth and joy spreading through the black and white rest of the world. Very cool.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nearly wordless picture book in a sketched photo realistic style about a girl who learns to use art to spread joy and diffuse conflict and impatience. Color is used to show emotional impact. Lovely little picture book.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cool wordless picture book, with awesome graphite illustrations. The story takes place on the daily train commute, where simple acts of kindness make a big impact. The authors are from Boston, but this didn't look like the T!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

Wordless mostly. The use of the color yellow communicates strongly. The art is beautiful. The story is forceful. Power of kindness.

[Carlos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Realism-style illustrations with visual touches of magical acts of kindness.

[Syntha Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Rebeca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous drawings! Heartwarming message!