Each Kindness


Written by Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrated by E. B. Lewis
Published in 2012

Why we chose this book:
This is up against It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk for 2018 March Book Madness.

Mom and Son's Review
(son age 3)

The narrator reflects on her having ostracized a classmate.

When a new student, Maya, arrives in the narrator's class wearing shabby clothing, the narrator shuns her. Although Maya makes repeated overtures of friendship to the narrator, she is repeatedly denied. At first, I expected this to follow the formula of similar books, where the children would befriend each other by the end. However, this does not follow the pattern and was painful to read once I realized that there would be no rectifying the narrator's coldness. The story ends with an impression of hope; the narrator regrets missing her opportunity to be kind to Maya. I think that we are meant to understand that she would endeavor to treat future classmates with kindness regardless of appearances. Each Kindness prompts readers' reflection on their own treatment of others.

This was a book that needed some explaining to T. He understood that Maya felt sad that her "friends" (his term) would not play with her. We talked a little bit about what they should have done ("play with her, " he told me), but did not delve very deeply into this, as he is too young yet to understand the narrator's actions.

Mom: What did you understand this to be about?

Son: kindness

Mom: Was the narrator kind to Maya?

Son: I don't know.

Mom: She wasn't kind. How do you think that made Maya feel?

Son: sad

Mom: If Maya invited you to play, would you play with her?

Son: Yeah

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