Kindness Makes Us Strong

by Sophie Beer

This bright book by the creator of Love Makes a Family celebrates acts of kindness big and small.

Kindness is a friendly hello. A roaring cheer. A quick boost. Kindness is what makes us strong! This joyful board book shows various children as they extend kindness in all kinds of on the playground, at lunchtime, on a bike path, and on a neighborhood street. This sweet preschool read-aloud shows the way kindness helps build friendship and community.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Friendship, Emotion, Kids, Fiction

24 pages, Board book

First published January 1, 2019

About the author

Sophie Beer is an award-winning illustrator/author living in Brisbane, Australia.

Sophie Beer is an award-winning illustrator/author living in Brisbane, Australia. She rejoices in creating bright, funny picture books which centre equality, inclusion and kindness. Her books have been printed all over the world and have sold close to one million copies. She has published with Penguin Random House New York, Simon & Schuster, Hardie Grant, Scholastic, and many more. As an illustrator, she has worked with the likes of Disney, Google, The Guardian, The Boston Globe. As a writer, her work has appeared in Frankie Magazine and The Big Issue. In 2022 she received a Varuna Writers Space Fellowship to complete her first middle grade novel. When she's not illustrating and writing, she thinks a lot about plants, animals, music, books, equality, and Aldi choc-chip biscuits.

Winner of the 2016 SCBWI Penguin/Random House Portfolio award.

Reviews

[Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful picture book. I read this to my son every night and he loves it.

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expressive drawings and simple phrases convey the message to readers about how any small act of kindness can uplift others around them, and help strengthen the community. The illustrations are eye-catching and these simple, cute drawings portray children showing kindness and helping each other in everyday settings, like cheering for a friend in a race, or sharing art supplies with one another. The writing is simple and by using repetition reminiscent of a poem, readers are drawn to the theme. The simplicity in both the illustrations and the writing is charming and easy for children to understand. The message that in every act, there is some kindness is important for not only children to learn, but for adults as well! The book is available as an ebook through Libby/Overdrive.

Reviewed by Raje Viswanathan, Circulation, Vernon Area Public Library

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a simple message, said in so few words, but makes the perfect point

[Ms. Arca · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 I adored this. Simple, loving, clear. A perfect one to read at night or to read briefly in a morning meeting at school. It’s a quick read with only a few words per page. If you had extra time you could have some awesome discussions, pausing to ask/talk about examples, look at the images... this book’s usability shouldn’t be underrated.

I also appreciate it’s a universally sweet book that kids could easily learn by heart and very beginning readers could read on their own... all the while reinforcing important concepts through simple, relatable examples. I could see it being a spot on read aloud for 2.5/3 year olds. Gift it.

Also! the illustrations are funky, inclusive, and fun:).

Thanks to my library ebook system— y’all rock.

[Lacy | literary_lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids still don’t quite grasp the concept of kindness, but I still think this is a good book to read to kids. It’s a great introduction to some kind things we can do for others.

My daughter is learning that there are nice and mean thing a you can do to others, so this is a good guide for some nice thinks she could try to do for other people.

This book would be great for young school aged children because a lot of the kind acts are done for kids in school. This would be a great book for teaching kids how to treat one another.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations, less words, one simple message - kindness makes the world a better place. Read to the 3 year old niece who was captivated from the first page and really enjoyed the wonderful story. It’s great books like this exist for the younger audience, a great lesson to be taught to youngsters that kindness is a good thing.. special thanks to Hardie Grant Egmont for sending me a copy of this book. Highly recommended to children ages 3 years and above.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The text is minimal because the message is simple-- little acts of kindness can make a big difference. Even just a helping hand or a cheer for your friend can leave a big impact! Not just important for kids-- us adults, too!

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this book offers concrete examples of kindness to toddlers and young children. Learning what it means to be kind is such an important skill and this helps make it clear what actions are considered universally kind.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple message, but so powerful!

[Novita · Rating 4 out of 5]

cepet banget bacanya!! kayaknya gaada 5 menit TT
ini buku cocok buat ngenalin buku ke anak bayi sihhhhh seriuss
ilustrasinya pun lucu dan berwarna-warni jadi pasti bakal menarik perhatian bayi usia 3-5 tahun.

[Ronan Crutchfield]

I liked this book, but wasn’t super excited. I didn’t want to grab for the pages, but I did enjoy looking at the pictures

[NTE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read & Reviewed for CBR 13. Review follows here

When I think about the kids we're raising, as a whole right now, I'm so goddamn hopeful for the future that I can't even really express it, for fear of losing my "unaffected internet witch" cool points (Note: I do not actually have any of those points).

But it's true: I have been a part of raising the children in my life for 25-ish years now, and - as the aunt of two adult niblings, a couple of teenage ones, and a handful of under tens - I gotta say, that, for the most part, parents these days are hitting it out of the fucking park. Which isn't to say that ALL parents are doing a great job, or that ALL kids are superstars, just that all of the parents I know - in real life, but also online - are working SO HARD to try to help create better humans. If you spend any time with the youngest of adults or teenagers (kids born around the turn of the century), then you probably understand that it seems to be working, at least so far -

These young people are self-aware, they're culturally aware, they're open and accepting as hell, and they don't give two shits about "Well, that's the way we've always done it", or "Well, society says it HAS to be XYZ not ZYX," particularly in terms of the -isms. Kids seem less hateful towards each other, less understanding of the status quo, and more willing and able to see, create, and be the change so many of us have been working hard for. (Again, not all the youths are exceptional, but I don't know any homophobic kids in my real life, and I DO know a ton of Black Lives Matter supporters, a ton of kids who go to protests, or kids who call and make sure things are accessible for their friends/siblings/family members, who blog against Asian American/Pacific Islander hate, just to name a few.)

And yes, I'm going to give the parents and extended influences of those young people a lot of credit for that- Hello Millenials, Gen X-ers, the youngest of Boomers who somehow turned into hippie grandparent- because every parent or person I know who's got even a tiny part in raising some kids seems absolutely determined to "do a better job", whatever that might mean to them personally. I'm going to go ahead and says some stuff without outing entire generations of people, because I don't think either of these generalizations will come as a surprise, but Gen-Xers often grew up in a land of self-sufficiency & media literacy that their parents just didn't understand (what I'm going to call Latch Key/Toys R Us Kids, and as a member of the Oregon Trail Micro-Generation, a place I will claim as my origin story) and Millenials are used to being blamed for shit they had nothing to do with and being forced into meeting expectations that are in no way reasonable (the Once in A Lifetime Recession happens every single time I'm looking for work generation, if you will). And both of those groups of people, once they started having children of their own, basically looked around at the expectations of society, and how they really got screwed because of them, and were like "Fuck this shit: I'm doing better by my kid(s)."

(Kindness isn't just words. It's actions. Show kids what that means. pix)

And then they DID.

Which is really the most startling part of the whole thing, if you think about it, because every group of parents WANTS to do better by their kids, but - as we so often find out in hindsight - they very often fall incredibly short of those goals. And I'm not saying that X-ers and Millenials have perfected parenting with their Zs and Alphas: We will, without a doubt, begin having the conversations about how we messed them up any day now (or, if you're lucky enough to have a couple of early Z-ers, you've already started having these conversations, and wow: aren't they fun?). BUT, in a lot of ways, parents around my age and younger put in some real work.

We did research... SO MUCH RESEARCH.
We went to therapy... SO MUCH THERAPY.
We dealt with our own traumas, in order to break generational traumas ... SO MANY TRAUMAS.

I literally know of no parents my own age or younger, who haven't - at the very least - done a shitton of self reflection and tried a different way, when they realized something they were doing (yelling, spanking, bribing, fawning, helicoptering, whatever) wasn't giving them the results  - attentive kids, better communication, clean bedrooms, less spoiled brat behavior, etc - they were hoping for.

And we can say a lot of good things about our parents - the Boomers and Hippies, a lot of whom tried to do better in their own ways too - but self-reflection and re-examining the roles we all play in society and within families was not their strongest suit. Hell, depending on how old your parents were, you could've been raised with full on "emotions are evil, shut that shit down" Silent Generation-ers, and still you're out here attempting Gentle Parenting and letting your kid have a tantrum in the Target parking lot. I'm so proud of you!

We saw that society expected us to be independent, but that, as we got older, intradependence is what saved us, so we started teaching empathy and community and communication, even though we had to learn it from scratch then too. We saw that "hey you can't depend on your job for everything - maybe you can't depend on it for anything" and we started to tell kids to focus on things that made them feel whole, and happy, and to not neglect those things just because of their jobs/school/whatever society said was more important. We continue to get slapped in the face with the ways in which inequality is a planned feature of our society, and so we taught our kids to recognize it from the beginning, to name it when they see it, to actively work against it.

(Love Makes A Family. Book format is also like a large board book, so this is really a good "all ages" kind of book. pix)

Anyways, now that I've patted us all on the back for ... you know, trying to parent in a way that actually takes our children into account, like all parents SHOULD have been doing for all times, let's move on to the next point, my main point, even. And that is the tools we use to engage in responsive, responsible, effective parenting (or teaching, or counselling, or interacting with children in any way), and how one of our best tools for that is books.

Like many of my fellow Cannonballers, books are a vital thing in my life. I am not exaggerating when I say I would not be alive without them, and so I don't tend to underestimate how important they can be, ever, but I often see them undervalued in the greater world, which is unfortunate. Unfortunate because books can be one of an adults most essential tools for teaching - well, for teaching anything, but if we're talking about how we go about teaching our kids how to become good people? Then books can be 90% of your toolbox, and the other 10% is just living what you're preaching.

Want to teach small children going out to face the big bad world (of preschool) alone for the first time that it's ok to be scared or lonely? Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney is going to give you both some much needed comfort. Want to teach your teenager that they're capable of finding & making "good trouble"? Try the March trilogy by Civil Rights hero John Lewis. Want a picture book that tells your kid that being their 'best' means being themselves? Try I'm A Lot Sometimes by Jack Guinan. Something about how nonsense is necessary to a full life? Hit up Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. Something that speaks on first love and first loss? Try Joy School by Elizabeth Berg.

And so we (finally!) come to today's three books:

Kindness Makes Us Strong & Love Makes A Family, both by Sophie Beer; and What Happened to You? by James Catchpole.

Kindness Makes Us Strong & Love Makes A Family are boldly illustrated declarations of love, acceptance and the different ways we can live out our values in our real lives. They're both populated by characters of different colors, ability levels, genders, and ages, while also ensuring that no one is specifically shown as "different" meaning lesser or unequal (a pitfall of many early 'melting pot' books or books that have disabled characters, but show them as people we should all be helping, for example). The books are simple reads, with simple messages, and little kids really GET THEM. They're perfect for talking about what kinds of ways love shows up in your family, and what kinds of ways you all can/do show kindness to each other - and also, what to do when kindness is hard. This is what I meant by books being a tool - If you're trying to teach your kids what it means to be a good human, and you don't have examples of how they can be good humans, then it is a lot harder for them to learn.

Something else that might be harder for tiny humans to understand is "what things can I be curious about, and what things should be private", and that leads us straight into What Happened To You? As a disabled person, the number of times I have been asked invasive questions about my health, my disability status, my wheelchair, &/or other more embarrassing private things about my body in public is really too high to count. And each disabled person has their own comfort level about questions and what they are willing to share: For example, I don't care if your four year old asks me what's wrong with my legs, bc I was a preschool teacher, and I'm used to answering those kind of questions from tiny humans. I prefer it, actually, to the whisper-yelling you think you are subtle about (you are not) when you're kid asks you, and you drag them away from me, which I think teaches them to be afraid of people like me. But I don't answer invasive questions from adults, and I get a lot of those too. Also, that's just me: Other disabled adults AND CHILDREN get to decide their own comfort levels with both the question and the answers they give, and that is 100% the point of What Happened to You?

In the book, Joe has only one leg, and uses crutches sometimes. But when he's approached by one kid after the other after the other at the playground who all ask him what happened to him, and offer up their own absurd theories about his missing leg, he doesn't want to answer them. He wants to play pirates, and stay away from invisible crocodiles and sharks circling his ship. Eventually, the other kids catch on to the real game, and we never do find out why Joe is missing a leg. We do find out that all of the kids are very good at being pirates.

My love for this book is immense, and for so many reasons. How do you teach kids that it's ok to ask questions, but also prepare them for the fact that sometimes people don't want you to ask questions, or don't want to answer your question, and that's ok too? This book. How can you explain to non-disabled children that disability is just another regular part of a disabled person's life, not something they constantly think about and worry over and focus on? This book. How can you show that everybody - including disabled people - are owed privacy and allowed not to answer intrusive questions? This. Book.

So there you have it - Three more books to add to your toolbox, if you're working on making the young ones in your lives more empathetic and whole humans. Since we aren't going to be perfect, we just have to aim for better, and these books - and so many like them - can help us get there.

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ella and I read this almost every night. Love the illustrations and the beautiful shows of diversity that feel normal instead of forced.

[Samantha Mairson-Dougherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the regulars in the reading rotation for my 17-mo year old. Colorful, clean illustration style that is inviting, inclusive and fun. It’s bigger than most board books, which I love. My son has started reaching for it regularly. The repetition is excellent, and for older kids it stimulates the natural prompts - what is kindness? What does kindness look like? How can we be kind? The message of the story is superb. What is strength? How are we stronger by being kind?

The text is so easy to get through. The perfect companion to lovely illustrations.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Khari · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't like it.

Occasionally a good message, but bad presentation. The art is WAY too busy, you have no idea what you are supposed to look at. Just look at the cover! What is going to happen in this book? What is important? You haven't the foggiest idea. Should you focus on the people? On the leaves? The rain drops? The pink things that I can't even identify?

One particular message "Being kind is being patient" and I was looking around like...okay...how are they illustrating patience? There are two kids on a bike...are they implying that the first one is slow and we should wait for them? It took me a good 30 seconds of searching to notice that, oh, they are waiting for ducks to cross the road. When you can't even make out ducks because the picture is so busy, you have a problem.

The other problem was that in the name of being diverse and inclusive, the author fell back on well-worn stereotypes that I personally find very irritating. The last message was "Kindness is reaching out" and you have a bunch of loud kids, playing together rambunctiously, with one reaching out with a hat to the little girl in the corner with her nose buried in a book. Because obviously that little girl is feeling ostracized and is unhappy and needs to be brought into the fold with all the other children, and that will make her happy.

Gah.

The framing makes me squirm. Not everyone is fond of large, loud, active groups. Some people prefer quiet, introspection, and solitude. Some people even like sitting on the edges of crowds, absorbing the noise and energy, but not participating. Some people find books with big ideas like philosophy and the origin of evil more interesting than inane small talk. Some people would rather read about lions than pretend to be one. As the little girl in the corner with her nose buried in a book, I am perfectly happy in my world of paper and ink, you are perfectly happy in your word of toys and games. Don't drag me out and force me to cooperate with you because you are only capable of projecting your own idea of fun onto other people.

Imagine if this had been drawn the opposite, a bunch of kids sitting quietly reading, and another kid comes in and starts carousing, and they go and present him with a book and bring him to sit down quietly and read? Would that be presented as a positive, kindness-reinforcing, this is common sense manners message? I doubt it. More like an introduction to a cult of brainwashing denying this poor rambunctious child his ability to freely express his authentic self. Why is reading presented negatively in a BOOK!?!?!?!? The mind boggles.

Story: Huh, this one doesn't really fit into my categorization of Narrative, Dictionary, or Process. Moral diatribe? Ah, Preaching. There we go.
Art: Overly busy
Price: 11.99

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"All acts of kindness - no matter how big or small - make our community stronger" ⠀⠀
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Now, more than ever, it is important for us to consider how we can make a positive impact on our often volatile world.⠀
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As a new mother, I have felt disheartened by the state of affairs.⠀
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I have felt the burden of raising a child in a world that is often unkind. ⠀
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I have felt a heavy sense of overwhelm at the thought of the injustices and intolerable cruelties that surround us. ⠀
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And this is not a new issue. Nor is it an issue being experienced in one isolated context.⠀
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Too often, I have heard Australians say "oh, luckily we don't face those kinds of things here", as if to disregard the hundreds of years of racial injustices that stretch out across our history.⠀
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How can I teach my daughter to not only accept differences but to stand up to and shout out against injustice when she sees it. ⠀
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How can I teach my daughter to be kind? ⠀
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This book by Sophie Beer is simple yet speaks volumes. The inclusive illustrations subtly introduce children to the concept of diversity and the message is universal; kindness is what will change the world. ⠀
Kindness makes us strong. ⠀
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I hope that the world that we leave behind for our children is kinder than the one that we currently live in. ⠀
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In the meantime, I am trying to find ways to introduce more diversity within the narratives that I share with my own child and the children I work with in the classroom.⠀
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[nik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This children's book was fantastic. In a time where children are bullying and being bullied, we really need to instill kindness in them - fiercely. I have a five year old and a three year old and it is great for their ages and probably up to a few years older as well. I will be suggesting it to their preschool and kindergarten teachers this upcoming school year. I also wanted to thank the author and illustrator for making sure that people of all backgrounds were illustrated. I also noticed the illustration of the child in the wheelchair and was very impressed, as you don't usually see differently-abled people portrayed in media and books. This is a great read for kids and parents wanting to teach their kids to spread kindness!

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

This lovely board book is brilliantly laid out and colorfully illustrated to keep young children engaged and turning pages.

Words are few per page and simple in their reading level, but the illustrations speak volumes. Fundamentally, the book is easy to understand, but it’s mostly the illustrations that brings home the message. So much can be achieved through small acts of kindness.

This engaging book will get kids talking. Perfect for those accused of bullying or even those being bullied. Great for the very young but can also be used for discussion with older children.

[Janet Luch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bold colors in this board book appeal to babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. With only a couple of words on each page that go with the illustrations, the message is easy for even very young children to understand. Older children could act out the descriptions, perhaps in a dress-up center, or continue the book using their own examples of what kindness is.

[India · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my 3-year old and 6-year old. The illustrations are excellent--brightly cllored and include so many hidden gems for us to talk about. The characters are diverse and the acts of kindness are all relatable to almost any kid. And there is a character who looks like their Indian grandmother... so yeah! Diversity!

[Lucas Beagle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is sweet, short, and simple! Since it is short and simple, the message is strong and does get noticed! This book goes through the general motions of life and saying what is kind or what actions are kind. The book says hello makes us strong, sharing is kindness, kindness is offering comfort. This book is great for elementary school aged students to read or have it read to them.

[Emily White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this book really helps bring out kindness in others. There are so many mean people in the world and the least we could do is spread kindness. The book gives idea on how you can be kind to one another, and I must say it is the small stuff. The smallest things such as a compliment, helping someone pick up their books, etc. brings a smile to someone's face.

[Madison Franklin]

Being kind is so important in a classroom, but what does being kind really mean? We have to teach children certain behavior and how to do certain things sometimes. Being kind is one of those things that we have to work on sometimes. I really like this book and things its a good resource to have in the classroom.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple book with one sentence on each page, each starting with "kindness is..." Each picture is a very relatable example of the definitions, such as "sharing," "reaching out," "taking turns." The pictures feel like situations that would come up often in kids' lives, making this a very useful book for teaching kids real, concrete ways to be kind.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right book + Right child + Right time.
This is an absolutely perfect read for the COVID-19 pandemic, and reminds children that kindness can indeed fix a lot of the world's ills. Large trim size, bold and arresting illustrations.

[Veronica Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe this book is perfect to read with toddlers and preschoolers. I think the pictures have so much to talk about, and the message is something that we want to promote with children. At the same time, the pictures can relate to day to day experiences with children in school.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book! Great diversity and definiton of what Kindness is and why it's important. My little is less enthusiastic about it, but enjoys looking for the animals and pointing them out. She might like it more as she gets older.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bright, vivid illustrations with one simple sentence per page. "Kindness is giving a boost." or "Kindness is taking turns." etc. Great message, great illustrations. There's no story line so it wouldn't be my first choice for older preschoolers, but it's perfect for toddlers and babies.

[Danielle LeBlanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet! Not much text in this board book, but the images leave a lot to explore—a diverse crew of people being kind to each other in a variety of ways. Oscar really gets pulled into staring at (and slapping) these pages. Kindly slapping? Time will tell.

[Anaya Bradd]

This book is showing children different times they can chose to be kind to other and the difference it can make. Examples such as playing on the playground, lunchtime, etc. I want to have this book in my classroom to show examples of community and how to build healthy friendships.