Book Review for The Sound of Kindness by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
The Sound of Kindness, by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, is a children’s book about finding compassion all around us, even though we might not see it at first. It’s a small, simple book, but it carries important lessons within minimalistic phrases. From neighbors greeting neighbors, to strangers helping others in need, to even friends sharing a simple conversation, VanDerwater is incredibly poignant with turning everyday interactions into teachable moments for kindness and empathy.
Similar to How Much Love Can a Heart Hold? by Angela Panayotopulos, I can see both children and adults delightfully reading this. Teachers and students can benefit from this book by emphasizing socio-psychological development, especially for students who have had delays in social skills due to COVID-19. It also encourages kids to practice mindfulness by paying attention to the environment around them, whether it be the classroom, or at home, or even in the real world, where everyone’s gone crazy with blaming, victim shaming, and chaos. It’s a skill not many adults possess, but this book certainly lays the foundation.
I enjoyed how VanDerwater made such lessons into an enjoyable rhyme that I could see myself humming to. The illustrations gave me a calm I didn’t realize I needed; the cover, of course, helps. As such, I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
