The Little Things: A Story About Acts of Kindness

by Christian Trimmer, Kaylani Juanita (Illustrator)

Overview

One girl’s simple act of kindness causes ripples in her community in The Little Things, a witty, heartwarming story about paying it forward.
 
The day after a mighty storm, a little girl finds a sea star that has washed up on shore, and she returns it to the ocean. Seeing her small act of kindness, an old man heads to an animal shelter with his grandson to pick a dog in need of a home. His grandson feels inspired to help an elderly woman clean up her yard, which inspires a teenager to pack an extra lunch for someone in need, and on and on until each small gesture builds toward a magnificent conclusion.
 
Full of humor, heart, and proof of the generosity that we all have inside of us, author Christian Trimmer and illustrator Kaylani Juanita’s story is a welcome reminder: It’s the little things that make a big difference.
 
“With its fun illustrations, this story may inspire young readers to try a little kindness.” —Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419742262
Publisher:	Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	04/27/2021
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Christian Trimmer is a children’s book editor and writer, whose books include Teddy’s Favorite Toy and Snow Pony and the Seven Miniature Ponies. He strives to perform at least one act of kindness every day. He lives in Hillsdale, New York, with his husband.
 
Kaylani Juanita is an illustrator based in Fairfield, California. She’s the proud owner of a dog named Biko, who is sweet and brown like the Filipino rice cake. Some of her clients include Chronicle Books, Tilbury House, Virginia Quarterly Review, and Lee & Low Books. Juanita’s artist mission is to support the stories of the underrepresented while creating new ways for people to imagine themselves.
 

Editorial Reviews

"With its fun illustrations, this story may inspire young readers to try a little kindness." 

— Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2021-03-02
A little girl’s small act of kindness energizes her town into doing the same—with a beautiful, cumulative impact.

After a terrible storm washes “thousands of sea stars” onto the beach, a brown-skinned child with three teal pigtails gets to work. One at a time, the child returns starfish to the ocean, despite the daunting number of stranded creatures. An elderly, White passerby notices her project, and asks, “What’s the point? You won’t be able to save them all.” The intrepid helper’s response sets the tone for the rest of the story: After plunking a single starfish back into the waves, she replies, “Of course I can’t save them all….But I saved that one, didn’t I?” This single show of generosity creates a chain reaction of freshly galvanized townspeople, encouraging one another to help out wherever they can—no matter how seemingly small the overall impact. Examples of these kindnesses include adopting a dog from a shelter full of strays in need of homes after the storm; cleaning up storm debris from a neighbor’s yard, though the storm trashed the entire block; and donating Tooth Fairy funds “to charity.” By the time the starfish-rescuing girl returns to the beach to take up her small mission again, she finds many of her neighbors already on the shore, saving sea stars and picking up litter. In a crowded market of picture books extolling random acts of kindness, illustrator Juanita’s charming images set this story apart. The details of each townsperson’s personality and identity sparkle on the pages, including disabled, Black, queer, and gender-nonconforming characters. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 20.3% of actual size.)

With its fun illustrations, this story may inspire young readers to try a little kindness. (Picture book. 5-10)

Kirkus Reviews