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Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed
It's a feel-good story that inspires and celebrates a world full of ordinary deeds!
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
April 29th 2002
by Gibbs Smith
(first published April 1st 2002)
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Added this one to my Christmas book collection this year although it is not a Christmas book (it just gave me a good excuse to buy it, and I ended up giving several as gifts). Delightful little tale and explanation of the "pay it forward" idea. A great tool for an object lesson on service or the great impact little acts of service can have. A good message for kids and adults alike.
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Not going to lie, I did not like this book. Although it has a good message that one ordinary person can make a world of difference and change lives of many through a ripple effect, I felt like the story just went on and on. I couldn't wait for it to be over. I have a hard time with the use of the same words over and over again, "One ORDINARY day, skipping on her way from her ORDINARY school to her ORDINARY house, she passed an ORDINARY vacant lot filled with ORDINARY bushes, growing ORDINARY ber...more
The premise is slightly cliche; Ordinary Mary does a good deed, and the reader watches the ripple effect of good deeds as each person who benefits from one person's good deed in turn does five good deeds. Quickly, the benefits of kindness reach everyone in the world (this is shown by a two page display of mathematical figures that reach 6,103,515,625 within 14 days of each person accomplishing five deeds.) The premise could be successful, but this book doesn't manage it.
Here's my list of compla...more
Here's my list of compla...more
This book had me tearing up in some parts! It's very sweet & positive. I recommend it for emergent readers-- it carries a great rhythm throughout! I loved the writing and illustrations. My only complaint is while the characters in the book are from a variety of ages, socioeconomic groups, and genders, there is a significant lack of racial diversity. Overall, there is a strong message that empowers children to do good deeds for it can have a positive impact on the world.
Read some reviews and I have to stand up for this book. Yes, it's a children's book hence the repetition. Yes it's long but it gives the reader many wonderful suggestions for random acts if kindness. No, karma doesn't always follow you but wouldn't that be nice? Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all did 5 kind things for each other every day? Love it!
I received this book as a gift. That evening I read it to my wife and daughter Emma. Emma immediately asked she could read it to her first grade class. It has a wonderful message. There is a surprise and moving dose of reality three pages from the end (don't peek!). The challenge, of course, is to learn to do ordinary extraordinary deeds.
What a cute children's picture book with a great message.
Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson introduces the ideas of "Pay It Forward" and "What Goes Around Comes Around" in a fun, inspiring way.
For the rest of my review:
http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot....
Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson introduces the ideas of "Pay It Forward" and "What Goes Around Comes Around" in a fun, inspiring way.
For the rest of my review:
http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot....
This book is great and it teaches children a lesson. I would read this book to children of all ages. Also, this would be a great book to read to children in social studies about being good citizens and helping each other. This book discusses the importance of good deeds snd how they help others.
"Ordinary Mary's extraordinary deed had come full circle, and on its way it had changed the lives of every person living!" Is this possible? Our reader will discover that a smile begets a mile of smile and kindness and love will do the same.
This is a beautiful book that I would read to any grade level. This book teaches the importance of beng nice and doing good deeds for others. In todays society there aren't enough good deeds being done for others. Hopefully through this book and by modeling I will be able to develop future model citizens.
This is an incredible story! It shows that how you can do one small nice thing for someone that can make their day better and make them want to do something for someone else.
Great message or paying it forward,it certainly inspired my kids to do small acts of kindness for others, but I found that it was confusing for many my little first graders to follow.
This book will work well to teach my students about doing acts of kindness. During December, we do an act of kindness each day and this book would be a good introduction to the month!
5 good deeds
15 days
1
5
25
125
625
3,125
15,625
78,125
390,625
1,953,125
9,765,625
48,828,125
244,140,625
1,220,703,125
6,103,515,625
great book, amazing message!
15 days
1
5
25
125
625
3,125
15,625
78,125
390,625
1,953,125
9,765,625
48,828,125
244,140,625
1,220,703,125
6,103,515,625
great book, amazing message!
Awesome! Pictures and impact of "paying it forward" by serving in little ways that make a big difference and change the world, on a level that even very little children will understand. Loved it!
A great story with a little math combined in it. A little girl does one good deed for someone who then does something for 5 people who in turn do something for 5 other people each and so on. Shows how one simple act that is continued by others just 5 times can soon spread to more people than there are on Earth
I love the concept behind this book -- that ordinary, everyday kindnesses can have far-reaching results. But the book was simply too long and complicated for young children to understand. I tried to read this to my four-year-old, and she had little patience for the wordy story. She also showed absolutely no interest in the mathematics of how one person can affect many. And my older kids (ages 8 and 10) found the story too simplistic.
While I love the story, it misses the age groups on both ends,...more
While I love the story, it misses the age groups on both ends,...more
One of the sweetest picture books. With a great message at that. Enjoyable for all ages.
Grades K-4. A Random-Acts of Kindness/ Pay it Forward book. Great illustrations.
My 8-year-old liked and understood this book.
My 4-year-old didn't.
My 4-year-old didn't.
Loved, Loved, Loved this book! Everyone needs to read it seriously!
I highly recommend this picture book! It's simple, yet inspiring.
This is a great Children's Book. It has a good message.
A terrific book for kids! Loved it!
4.5 stars. This book REALLY resonated with my girls. They were astounded thinking that one person could be kind to five people, and if those five people were kind to five people (15 times) then it could potentially reach every person on the planet. They couldn't wait to go out and try it.
This story introduces the Pay It Forward concept of rippling kindess to the picture book crowd.
Listen to our chat about this book on our JustOneMoreBook.com Children's Book Podcast:
http://www.justonemorebook.com/2006/0...
Listen to our chat about this book on our JustOneMoreBook.com Children's Book Podcast:
http://www.justonemorebook.com/2006/0...
This book has such a great message for children and adults. Sometimes we think that our actions have little impact on others. This book shows us that even a small act can make a big difference!
This book was a little too wordy, and not enough action for the kids enjoyment, but the message was clear and profound to them and also to me.
One of my very favorite childrens books with and amazing message for children and adults.
I think this is such a cute book with a great message - shouldn't we all be serving others?
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