Non-Random Acts of Kindness

March 15, 2014
Ty is back, and he's a little nervous about his latest class project: to practice random acts of kindness and then recite them to the class at the end of the week. After all, how can you "do random acts of kindness on purpose?" He's also promised his sister, Teensy Baby Maggie, that he'll get her a pet; his best friend, Joseph, is in the hospital with leukemia; and his "sometimes best friend," Lexie, nearly chokes him to death. This is a lot for any 7-year-old, and it's particularly hard on a worrywart like Ty. While there are certainly kids out there who will relate to Ty's nervous nature, many may be turned off by his narrative voice, which often seems babyish, inconsistent with a bright boy who understands what "random" means and corrects his teacher about it. Still, the biggest disappointment here is that Ty is clearly a kid with a big heart, and it's too bad readers aren't given the opportunity to feel a little more of what he does. For example, while there are references to Joseph's cancer and hospitalization, they are few and far between. Dropping the C-bomb in an early chapter book feels like a big deal, one that's worthy of a little more exploration. A so-so read for the second-grade set. (Fiction. 5-8)

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March 1, 2014

Gr 1-4-In the second installment in this series, seven-year-old Ty must navigate the sometimes chaotic events of his life both at home and at school. When his teacher gives the class an assignment to do random acts of kindness and then present a recitation for the class, Ty feels nervous and slightly confused. He soon realizes, with the encouragement of his sister Winnie, that kindness is something that comes naturally to him and that even though people do make mistakes, there is no need to get bent out of shape about it. There are moments of humor and the character development is solid, but important moments in the story sometimes get glossed over. For example, when Ty's friend Lexie pressures him into breaking a rule, there are no consequences. Later, Ty and his friends are told that a classmate being treated for leukemia is well enough to come back to school, but the scene unfolds quickly and does not get enough attention. While there are moments of humor, kid-friendly dialogue, and Ty and other characters are well developed, the overall story lacks focus. Still, playful illustrations add a fun and engaging element to the text, making this a nice chapter book series that will appeal to boys and girls alike.-Melanie Okadigwe, Children's Literature Consultant, NY

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