Welcome to KidzBookReview. Who doesn’t appreciate having someone recommend a great book? Especially a book that offers a teachable moment, an interesting journey, or a fun escape?

YesKidzCan! will regularly recommend a book or two about acts of kindness or the spirit of giving that is appropriate for young kids around ages 4 to 12. We provide a brief overview of each book and offer ideas for generating discussions.

Tell us what you think of our selections and give us your suggestions. Just click here to send us your book review ideas. We would like to feature your recommendations! Whether working on a service activity or reading about giving back, we hope YesKidzCan! helps you bring community service home!

Get a Conversation Going!

Before you start a conversation, we suggest that you read your book before your kids do. While a subject, character or theme may inspire one child, another child may not relate to it as well. Better that you know the details and are prepared in advance. Depending on each kids’ reading levels, you can read the book to your kids, with your kids, or let them take it on independently. If you are interested in talking about the book, here are a few approaches for getting some good dialogue going.

How Did This Make You Feel? Ask the kids to react to a specific event, dialogue, or the book overall.

Can You Find Some Common Ground? Ask the kids to point out ways they are like a specific character or had a similar experience.

What Does Your Crystal Ball Say? Ask the kids if they knew how the story was going to end. You can ask them to stop reading part way through the book, and have them predict. Another option is to have them complete the book, and ask if they knew what was coming or if they were surprised.

What’s Up with That? Give the kids an opportunity to ask questions about any aspect of the book they did not understand. They can write down questions as they are reading or save them until they are done!

Our featured books are:

For 4 to 7 Year Olds:

The Kindness Quilt
By Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

Mrs. Bloom reads to her class of young rabbits the Aesop’s fable about the mouse who removes a thorn from a lion’s paw. The teacher gives the class an assignment of performing an act of kindness (like the mouse) and drawing a picture of it. One student, Minna, performs many kind acts but cannot decide which to illustrate. She finally decides to draw many pictures and patch them together in a paper quilt. Her classmates and other classes join in and add their drawings. Eventually, the quilt grows in size and takes over the bulletin board and the hallway. Children will enjoy the story and wonderful illustrations, and parents and teachers will value the book’s heartfelt message.

For 8 to 10+ Year Olds:

One Hen
by Katie Smith Milway

A young boy, Kojo, lives with his mother in Ghana, Africa and survives by selling firewood. They have very little money but one day, Kojo receives a small loan. He uses the money to buy a hen. They eat some of the hen eggs and sell the extras. Soon, he earns enough money to buy more hens, get a bigger loan, and build a poultry farm that creates jobs and helps his community. This book shows how big change can start with something small. It is based on a true story of Kwabena Darko whose life story is shared at the end of the book.

The Hundred Dresses
By Eleanor Estes

Wanda’s classmates tease her about her Polish name and the faded blue dress she wears to school every day. Wanda tells them she has 100 beautiful dresses at home. The girls mock Wanda every day until she does not show up at school. She has moved away and only then do her classmates learn the truth about the dresses and the mistakes they have made. While written in 1944, this beautiful Newbury Award winner conveys to this day a timeless lesson of the importance of courage and the generosity of spirit. Girls and boys love this book!