Do a Good Deed and Feel a Warm Fuzzy

READ-4-LUCK is the weekly feature that acts as a book recommendation, book review, teaching tip, and writing lesson for children, parents, teachers, and writers. I post each week with Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Book Fridays.

 = Not bad. Might read twice.
 = Fun read first few times. Would get from library again.
 = Very enjoyable. Wouldn't mind owning a copy.
 = Awesome! Never tiresome for children, parents, teachers, or writers. May just have to buy this book.

This week's pick is Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed written by Emily Pearson, illustrated by Fumi Kosaka.


Summary:

A young girl's good deed is multiplied as it is passed on by those who have been touched by the kindness of others.

Publisher: Gibbs Smith  

Year: 2002

Word Count: 1222
Book Level: 4.2

Age: 4-8

Topic: service, blueberries, multiplication

Theme: good deeds, helping, pay it forward, kindness

First Lines:

Ordinary Mary was so very ordinary that you'd never guess she could change the world. This ordinary kid? She did! She changed the world!

RATINGS

CHILDREN:  Rhyming words scattered throughout make great word play. Every day. Yea oh yea! But this is NOT a rhyming book. It is so cute.

PARENTS:  This is a feel-good book you want to read to help teach your kids that kindness and good deeds actually do make a difference.

TEACHERS:  Not only is this great for character development, but also great for math. A great intro to multiplication. Could make a tree chart that shows how many people can be affected by the chain of events in a ripple effect of kindness.

WRITERS:  Lots of characters. Interesting to see how the rhymes are worked in and how the ending circles back to the beginning.

Be sure to visit other "perfect picture books" at Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

Keep on keepin' on...