KINDNESS IS COOLER, MRS. RULER

Kindness is cool, but it’s unclear whether this purposive effort will really encourage young listeners to commit good deeds. Like all children, the kindergartners in Mrs. Ruler’s class occasionally misbehave. When five of them transgress on a single day, she holds them back from recess and asks them to consider changing their behavior. With one exception, they comply and find that being kind is so rewarding that soon the whole class pitches in. The awkwardly placed text is occasionally difficult to read, particularly when placed against darker colors, and the small font does little to improve matters. Mrs. Ruler regularly speaks in rhyme, which can get tedious while her students’ words consist mainly of a listing of their (decidedly random) acts of kindness. Skewed perspectives, bug-eyed, round-headed children and large swathes of bright, flat color give the illustrations energy and contemporary charm. The appealing pictures, expansive double-page spreads and positive message will likely ensure a wide audience—but a tad more creativity would have been welcome. (Picture book. 5-7)