The Power of One by Trudy Ludwig

The Power of One: Every Act of Kindness Counts

Trudy Ludwig, Author

Mike Curato, Illustrator

Alfred A. Knopf, Fictions, Aug. 25, 2020

Suitable for ages: 4-8

Themes: Kids making a difference, Kindness, Listening, Friendship, Community

Opening:  “Sometimes One can feel like a small and lonely number. But don’t let this little number fool you.”

Book Jacket Synopsis:

Change begins with one person standing up for what is right. And one act of kindness can start a chain reaction: One shy smile can lead to a friendship. One good listener can make even the smallest voice heard. One thoughtful idea can bring a community together.

From the acclaimed author of The Invisible Boy comes a  lyrical tale as simple — and simply inspiring — as the the golden rule, beautifully brought to life by Mike Curato’s bold multimedia artwork.

Why I like this book:

Trudy Ludwig and Mike Curato team up to create this beautiful picture book that will capture your heart! Ludwig’s fluid and sparse text and Curato’s spacious illustrations really SHOW this story. Several double-spreads pages have no text, but are brimming with feeling and meaning! Curato uses white space well to make his artwork pop with color! Gorgeous!

Children will recognize themselves in the young girl who is teased on the playground. A friendly bystander (one girl) steps away from her friends to reach out to the girl in loving kindness to let her know that she cares. This ONE act of kindness has a ripple effect at school and in the community and is a giant leap towards making the world a better place to live in.

This is a perfect book for teacher’s to read to their classrooms at the beginning of the school year! It is a treasure.

Resources: This book is a wonderful resource to get children sharing stories. Ask kids if they’ve seen someone sad or lonely; heard someone tease another student; or seen a child excluded from an activity. Have any of these things happened to them?  Ludwig includes an Author’s Note and recommends many websites that teachers and parents may find helpful like the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.

Trudy Ludwig  is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author of ten books, including The Invisible Boy and My Secret Bully. Through her work with the International Bullying Prevention Association, Sesame Street Workshop, Committee for Children, and ConnectSafely, Trudy is committed to helping kids connect with their peers in kinder, more inclusive ways. Visit her at her website or follow her on Twitter at @TrudyLudwig.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

*Review copy provided by author in exchange for a review.