Holidays are here and the best gift we could possibly think of? Kindness, of course! In the form of books, of course! We scoured the shelves - both online and in person, got the opinions of our Crackerjacks, our own Kind Eye authors, and our valued Kind Eye Publishing fans to find the best of the best stories out there that truly exemplify kindness, compassion, cross culture communication and inclusion. Here we go starting with our Early Grade books. Start filling those stockings now!
Early Grade
A Story About a Friend with Autism. This book acts as a guide for parents as well as educators on how children can create bonds with individuals with Autism. A great book for at home or in the classroom. An inclusion story.
Why we love it: Teaching our kids how to be inclusive of all those around us, no matter the differences, is perhaps the best gift we could ever give our kids, let's start them early.
It's all in the bucket, that invisible bucket that follows you everywhere. . . teaches young readers valuable lessons about giving, sharing, and caring. This guide to daily happiness, though, is not just for kids. We all need reminders of the benefits of positive thinking and positive behavior. It's an important lesson to teach and remind us all . . . that showing kindness and appreciation of others goes a long way to making this world a happier place for everyone, including ourselves.
Why we love it: Bucket filling is a concept spoken about a lot in elementary schools across the nation. What a great way to support this beautiful notion of filling buckets by reading it at home.
When Cade's and his family find out their ice cream order was paid for by another patron, they continue paying it forward, and so starts the discussion of random acts of kindness. Cade takes this idea and runs with it, showing unexpected kindnesses to others. But when Cade's dad would like him to donate some of his own toys, he has a hard time. Will Cade be able to learn the importance of being kind to others, even
when it isn't easy? Find out in this tale about showing kindness.
Why we love it: Random acts of kindness seems to be a trend, but needs to be a habit. This book provides concrete examples of just how important and impactful small acts of kindness can be.
Kavan was happy just the way things were, and then his baby sister came along and turned his life upside down. Come join us as we explore the emotional roller coaster of sibling relationships, and how very lucky siblings are to have one another no matter what. This book will not only help the new big brother or sister in the family navigate their new role, but it will also help assure parents that adding to the family can mean giving their child a best friend for life.
Why we love it: The story does not outwardly reflect upon the fact that the characters in the story are of minority status. Instead, the images and names reflect the color of the character's ethnicity. This shows how the themes described in the story can be related to by a person of ANY ethnicity.
Elliot lives in America, and Kailash lives in India. They are pen pals. By exchanging letters and pictures, they learn that they both love to climb trees, have pets, and go to school. Their worlds might look different, but they are actually similar. Same, same. But different!
Why we love it: This book is a classic in our household and for any school story times. The images of both the boys' "worlds" are superb and truly offer young readers a fun window into another country and culture. And of course, we love agree with the title! Aren't we all "Same same, but different"?
Roberto and his family of Pugs had to leave their forest to search for a new home. They find a valley filled with new dogs. Will they be accepted and allowed to stay? Discover what happens to Roberto and his family in this enchanting children’s tale about love, acceptance, and diversity.
Why we love it: Animals have a way of teaching us about ourselves, don't they? This story is no exception. Its sweet story of acceptance and diversity will melt your heart.
When the girl in the red hat finds the courage to be kind to the new student in class, her kindness spreads. Kind act by kind act, her whole community experiences the magical shift that happens when everyone understands―and acts on―what it means to be kind.
Why we love it: This story offers young children a chance to "see" how kindness can spread and grow. A beautiful message for little kiddos with big hearts.
From the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator of Max the Brave comes an inspiring and adorable picture book about a pair of unlikely friends who face down a pack of bullies.
Why we love it: This book is simple, beautifully illustrated and clearly shows how bullies and aggression can be overcome by empathy and compassion. It reinforces the benefits of just being who you are and not having anyone else tell you what to do.
Tyla'Grace is an an outgoing, loving, adventurous young girl. Get ready to grow up with her as she takes you on a journey through her little world! Tyla loves learning about someone in African American History but today at school her history lesson was a little different. Join Tyla in this story as she embraces the skin she is in.
Why we love it: It's not fun not always loving the skin you're in. It can be confusing, frustrating, and uncomfortable.This book takes self pride head on, and we love that!
Even the bravest girls in the neighborhood get scared sometimes. Ajooni doesn’t get scared by ANYTHING—unless it’s the dragon that just appeared in her neighborhood. But, with the help of her parents, Ajooni learns to face her fears and gain the confidence to be Kaurageous.
Why we love it: This book intertwines important Sikh virtues that everyone can relate to. Sikh women are given the name of Kaur as a statement of their independence and social status so that they would stand strong and regal beside men as their equal. The fact that the main character is "Kaur" ageous is just awesome. What's more? The author is a newcomer and we love that.
In this easy to understand story and guide, Reena B. Patel, MA, LEP, BCBA, expertly provides parents, teachers and children with concrete and proper tools necessary to help kids understand and control the worries they possess.
Why we love it: This story exhibits empathy at the highest degree by allowing our children to know that we understand what anxieties and worries they may be facing and how we can help them in a very practical way.
"Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls" is a children's book packed with 100 BEDTIME STORIES about the life of 100 EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN from the past and the present, illustrated by 60 FEMALE ARTISTS from all over the world. Each woman's story is written in the style of a fairy tale. Each story has a full page, full color portrait that captures the spirit of the portrayed hero
Why we love it: The most crowdfunded book in history, these short biographies of some of the most incredible women in the world provides a beautiful night cap for little minds, as well as adults. A fun way to wind down every evening. This book has a second one out, too... and we're waiting on a third!!!
Middle Grade
Now a major motion picture, Auggie & Me gives readers a special look at Auggie’s world through three new points of view. These stories are an extra peek at Auggie before he started at Beecher Prep and during his first year there. Readers get to see him through the eyes of Julian, the bully; Christopher, Auggie’s oldest friend; and Charlotte, Auggie’s new friend at school. Together, these three stories are a treasure for readers who don’t want to leave Auggie behind when they finish Wonder.
Why we love it: Seeing a precarious situation through the eyes of different points of view gives readers the ultimate chance at compassion. It evokes kindness and forces empathy and we see that even Auggie, the boy with the extraordinary face, isn't the only "victim" and is - in turn - the hero to many others whose "disabilities" may be invisible.
Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team—a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves.
Why we love it: Ghost and his friends all represent different ethnic backgrounds, disabilities, socio economic classes, and more. Their friendship exemplifies empathy, inclusion and understanding of one another's backgrounds. What's more? There's 4 books in the series so the fun doesn't end here! It's also the perfect series for any sports addict.
Confucius was born in 551 BCE, at a time of great war and famine in China. As he observed the suffering around him, he realized the best way to transform a society was to shift people’s thinking—to move them from callousness to compassion. So he became a teacher, and changed the world. This beautiful biography provides a warm introduction to the philosopher some call “China’s uncrowned king.”
Why we love it: True stories and biographies are some of our best teachers. Confucius and his teachings go back farther than most can imagine, but this story provides young readers a glimpse into the "Father of Compassion's" life, his teachings and how he affected the world in such a positive manner.
In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball.
Why we love it: This story shows how "weird" kids aren't so weird. The classic tale of mismatched people finding their way together deals with disabilities and diversity the way should be treated - as if it's just part of our world. Plus, this book didn't win the Newbery Medal for nothing. A must read.
Sam & Gnome Save the World (releasing soon!)
Sam and Gnome are "throwaway" orphans who come upon something bigger than their life in foster care, bigger than anything they could ever imagine. This soul searching, edge of your seat adventure takes readers through re to have one another no matter what.
Why we love it: This book not only showcases compassion of understanding one another, their background and what they stand for, but for the earth. What's more? Sam and Gnome's ethnicity are slowly revealed by reading in between the lines throughout the entire duration of the book. I love how it just doesn't really matter to the crux of their adventurous story.
As the oldest of eight siblings, Lupita is used to taking the lead—and staying busy behind the scenes to help keep everyone together. But when she discovers Mami has been diagnosed with cancer, Lupita is terrified by the possibility of losing her mother, the anchor of her close-knit Mexican American family. Suddenly Lupita must face a whole new set of challenges, with new roles to play, and no one is handing her the script
Why we love it: This book provides a glimpse into the lives of a Mexican American family. Readers will get to experience the heritage, the traditions, the nuances and the heart of what makes a "typical" Mexican family tick.
Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.
Why we love it: Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for all things Native American. Their plight is something that is often misunderstood, under-reported and non existent in history books. I love being a fly on the wall for this young man's experiences as a young American Indian in current times.
A frank discussion and look inside the mind of a Twenty-Something idealist whose journey into adulthood and across seas leads to witty introspection, discovery and optimism. Your "typical" millennial has something to say, and it's more than just selfies!
Why we love it: It tells the story from a young Indian woman who travels abroad to experience all sorts of different countries and cultures. Seeing the world through her eyes isn't just fun, it opens your heart.
Want to see first-hand reactions of these heart warming, bucket filling books? Check out Kind Eye's YouTube channel
Kind Eye Publishing, LLC is a family owned & operated publishing company that promotes written pieces of work dedicated to the themes of kindness, compassion, diversity and cross cultural communication. Our dream is to spread understanding through our published material, be it through magazines, essays, manuscripts, self-help books, how-to books and more. Our authors represent a diverse ethnic population and voices that may otherwise be unheard.
