Catching kindness

A grocery store visit serves as a lesson in compassion. When another kid steps behind the wheel of the brown-skinned protagonist's coveted car cart, our hero is understandably grouchy. And the youngster isn't the only one. A bird's-eye view of a supermarket aisle depicts diverse shoppers squabbling or looking irritated. "Maybe folks get cranky when they're in a hurry," suggests an unseen narrator. "Or when they can't find what they're looking for." Suddenly, the two children meet again in what looks like an Old West showdown. The kid with the car cart offers it up, taking the main character by surprise. "That one little bit of goodness makes you feel like a million bucks," observes the narrator as the protagonist proceeds to pay it forward, handing a fallen apple to one shopper and offering a potted plant to another. The good deeds are infectious, and the shoppers demonstrate kindness to all those they encounter. As the tale comes to a close, the young protagonist suddenly needs a bit of kindness, too, and a gentle clerk helps the child reunite with a caregiver. Though the story occasionally waxes a bit sugary sweet and lasts a bit too long--some youngsters might be wiggling with impatience by book's end--Mitchell's text, infused with a sense of wonder, offers an opportunity to start a dialogue about altruism and how we treat others. A gentle, no-frills conversation starter about making the world a kinder place.(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.